An odd gathering, a new chance
by chaos-dark-lord
Summary: After the raid in London, Millennium's trump card, 'The Captain', survives and escapes to find himself with a strange group of characters that somehow came to surround an apparently normal girl. Will this be the begining of a new organization, a family or a pack?
1. Chapter 1

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**Hi everyone. This fic is co-written with peekodemeeko12 . We obviously don't own Hellsing or it's character but we own ours.  
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**CHAPTER 1**

Jackie Penske, eighteen something engineer and mechanic, was walking home from the grocery store with two big bags of food in either arm. It was an eerie night and the light wind swept her black hair and red bangs as she kept herself under the light of the street lamps while occasionally sending glances over her shoulder due to the uneasy feeling of being watched that she had felt for the past few days. Maybe she was just being paranoid but it paid to be cautious at night.

Sure, her workshop wasn't in the nicest zones of the city but at least the outskirt of New York, however far they were from the main city and islands, weren't as bad as... who was she kidding. Since the local mafia had taken the area as part of their territory things had gone down the hill. There were few clients, the neighborhoods were empty on the streets and all her workers had abandoned her.

Right now she only wanted to get home and rest. But unfortunately for her, right in her way and with no side routes nearby to take was a sketchy trio that was monopolizing half of the slim street ahead and that were smoking some weird stuff and passing on something among their hands. To get home she'd have to pass right beside them. Whatever. Just avoid eye contact.

She clutched her bags tighter and walked passed but she felt their gazes on her and listened to their words while walking slightly faster with them besides her.

"Hey, what about her? She seems like the kind of chick that can take it." One of the men point out, making no attempt to be discreet. Jackie continued on trying to ignore them and reach a more open place were at least buses passed often.

"Yeah, she'll do," the larger man laughs. Jackie kept an eye over her shoulder, now practically ready to run for it. She knew how to fight. But there were more of them and they were bigger, and if they were drugged as she suspected, then by the time she knocked one out the other two would have grabbed her.

Arms suddenly wrapped around her front faster than she could react. She hadn't seen anything due to the attack coming from her blind eye's side and, with unsurpassable strength, no matter how much she tried to resist and get free, she felt herself being easily dragged away and towards one of the houses abandoned by the owners going to live in a safer place while another hand covered her mouth and prevented her from screaming for help.

Jackie was quickly thrown down the stairs into the dark basement. She struggled but before she could even get up, someone stepped on her back and pinned her down against the cold floor making her spine almost crack at the weight.

"Lookie here, she looks promising. You think she'll survive? So many of the others have been dying with the newer design," one of the men said with a wicked grin just before she felt someone grabbing her hair and dragging her up to her feet by force while a hand lifted her shirt and exposed her back to the cold and humid air of the place. She wanted to scream and tried getting free, but once again, there was a hand on her mouth preventing her from screaming and no matter how much she tried to, her assailants held her firm.

"Look at all the scars on her pretty skin. She'll survive unlike those richer divas we've been snatching." A deep voice said with rolling waves of deep laughter and Jackie felt a smack on her ass.

She increased her struggle, trying to kick them and get free to run. Her kicks and punches attempts were futile; she was able to bite one of them, but she was sure she was biting a horrible leather, because no matter how hard she tried to break through the skin, she couldn't, nor could she see anything in the darkness.

"Oh yes, she will most definitely do," another man wickedly laughed as he grabbed her by the throat and pushed her up against a wall with just one hand and high enough that her legs didn't reach the floor.

Jackie gagged as she struggled against his hold and kicked her legs out to hit him while coughing at the harsh grip on her throat that was also holding her full weight. ("He's not budging!")- Her eyes had gotten used to the darkness and she shot a glance to the pale skinned blonde on the left who pulled out a small case and flipped it open to reveal some kind of computer chip with some kind of thin metallic tendrils. She didn't know what it was for but she was sure it wasn't good for her.

"Now keep her still," the blonde grinned wickedly and approached.

She felt her body getting slammed over her stomach against the wall to keep her torso still. She was sure that this was it for her when suddenly two thunderous bangs rang out through the room causing her to jolt a fraction of a second before she fell to the hard floor while watching two of the men drop to the ground, one had been the one holding her but now his head had a hole that let her saw the third man leapt out of the way with adept skill.

They were shot-?!

An ominous creaking on the steps catched her attention as she looked over, seeing a strange boxy gun with an abnormally long muzzle in the hands of a large cloaked man. His red eyes impassionately took in the last man standing as he slowly and creepily descended the stairs, not bothering to look in Jackie's direction.

His overwhelming presence made her heart jerk as he walked towards the third guy, passing her a glance.

"W-Who are you-?" She got on her feet and started before stopping short, seeing the end of the gun's barrel pointing down at her. Her eyes widened, staring up the barrel of the loaded gun before looking to the man.

"You're … going to shoot me? Why?" She asked with fright, staring at the man's eyes. After a tense moment the man pulls his gun back, turning his attention to the remaining man. Jackie's heart leapt for the chance as she scrambled to her feet and took off, swinging up the stairs and running outside. She just witnessed a murder. Two, and that third man is probably dead now. She … she needed to call someone, didn't she? Like the police?

She grit her teeth and kept running to her shop, the groceries long forgotten on the ground until she reached her house, entered the garage and run upstairs bursting through the door of her home on top of the shop and stumbled inside, locking the door behind her.

Her own home offered her little comfort at the moment but at least she was safe. Her back rested against the locked door while she took fast, heavy breathes and gripped her chest feeling her heart pounding hard in her chest. Who was that man? H-e saved me from those people but he pointed the gun at me like he wanted to shoot me! N-No, relax, I'm safe now. I'm home, all safe and sound, with nothing to hurt me.

She closed her eyes for a few moments in order to inhale deeply a few times while calming herself from the experience and the mad run. Finally, she let out a shaky breath of relief and opened her eyes only to to jerk back as she spied the broad shouldered man wearing a battered green greatcoat with its neckguard turned up standing in front of her with an impassive gaze and she felt the pressure of the barrel of his gun that he had just moved against her sternum while his finger rested on the trigger. Her breath hitched as she took a step back against the door, watching the man staring at her with empty red eyes under his silverine gray hair.

"W-Who are you?" She shakily asked, taking a deep breath as she straightened her back and did her best not to shrink under his incriminating gaze, "who are you and how did you get into my house?" She ordered with a stronger voice. His gaze never left her as he pointed to the window, showing that it was wide open. How the-? This is the second floor!

She jolted as he pulled his gun away and turned to the living room. For a moment she thought he was going to leave out the window but instead she watched, dumbstruck, as he sat on the couch and turned on the TV to the news.

Who is this man? She hesitantly walked past him before walking quickly into the kitchen and grabbing the phone, seeing the cord had been ripped out of the wall. What the- oh, oh well that's just great then.

She was getting pissed and headed for the door, but just as she did that, he took aim and shot, the bullet whisping just past her bangs and through the wall. Her jaw dropped, shocked as she backed up with an uneasy frown. That had been scary …

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	2. Chapter 2

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**Hi everyone. This fic is co-written with peekodemeeko12 . We obviously don't own Hellsing or it's character but we own ours.**

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**CHAPTER 2**

Does this guy ever need sleep? Jackie could literally feel the bags under her eyes as she stared at the dangerous man sitting on her couch. He hadn't said a single word and she was frankly unnerved to talk to him or move in fear of somehow aggravating his seemingly random actions. She had stayed up all night watching him and waiting for him to either decide to leave or shoot her. She was lucky to take a fast shower but her attempt to escape out the window didn't work. He just pulled her right back inside and dragged her back to the couch by the ear. Her fingers held the slightly swollen ear, gently massaging it back to health.

The bell to the shop caught her ear as she looked towards the door leading down into the shop. A customer? She got up without a second thought and walked over to the door but froze as she felt the hair standing up on the back of her neck. She looked over to the man seeing his gun aimed for her with his cool gaze locked on hers.

She casted him a harsh side glare, not caring if he shot her right then and there. She was exhausted and now thanks to him have to go through the whole day of work awnry and sleepy. Enough waiting around, if he was going to shoot her he might as well hurry the hell up and do it!

"I have a business to run." She callously stated before opening the door and going down the spiral stairs into her workshop. She walked past the cars in store and stepped into the front office, unlocking the door for the first customer. "Sorry for the wait. I was getting ready," she said, looking at the time. She was at fault; it was a half hour passed opening.

"Oh dear, that is just fine. I just got here not long ago," the elderly woman happily smiled as she stepped inside. Jackie walked over to the counter and picked up the clipboard, nearly leaping out of her skin as she spied the man standing in the doorway with his eyes on her. So stalking me in my house isn't enough, he has to come here to the shop too? Jerk.

"Oh hello there, who might you be?" She politely asked, adjusting her glasses as she looked up at him. "Such a tall and strong looking young man! Kids these days just keep growing." She cheerfully says with a finger wagging in his direction.

"Ignore him, mam. Um.. what is the problem with your car?" Jackie asked, taking out a pen and taking out a form from the counter.

"Oh it's just an oil change there, sweetie, if you don't mind. I came to drop it off but I'm afraid I need to go to work now. I'll be sure to pick it up as soon as I can," she says with the elderly trembling to her tender voice.

"Not a problem. Pull it on into the garage and come back for it later," Jackie said with a grin as the lady smiled in relief.

"Why thank you, God bless you dear," she said as she made short shuffling steps to the door to get to her car outside. She's a cute old lady. Jackie clicked the pen shut and went up to the man in the doorway.

"Move," she stated, folding her arms and staring up at him. After a brief staredown he stepped aside, letting her move into the garage and open the large door for the woman to drive her car in. Once the car was in place and the sweet old woman left, Jackie turned her glaring eyes towards the man.

"Alright _look_," Jackie snapped and turned to the tall man. "What the hell are you doing here? You're not talking, you're not killing me and you're only watching me. It's creepy. What the hell do you want? And what the hell did you do to that other guy in the basement?" She asked, morbidly curious but not wanting to know the answer either.

The man only stared, either not understanding what she said or deciding not to answer at all.

"Do you even speak English?" Jackie asked before pausing. Maybe he doesn't, "What language do you speak? Because I'm speaking 'get the hell out of my shop' right now." She angrily growled but the strange man just stood there, hardly reacting to her anger.

Jackie fumed and turned around to begin working on the car under his gaze. She needed to figure out a way out of here without that guy tailing her so she could get to the police station. She could probably hit the panic alarm but that's at the front desk counter and if he's inside he'll just get locked inside with her. Not exactly ideal.

With nothing more to do she continued working until her stomach growled. He seemed to notice and just stared at her, as if daring her to try and make a move to leave. This was a good time to escape.

"You ripped the phone cord from the wall. I can't order food so I need to go and get some cause I'm starving," she turned around and walked towards the entrance. In response she felt another bullet zip past her, burying itself into the wall and leaving a defined mark. She took a deep breath, not turning around and took her chance, "You're hungry too, right? Then come get food with me. " she noted, motioning for him to come and taking her coat. She prayed he wouldn't bother coming but of course her luck wasn't that good. The large man smoothly followed after her into the dark street only lit up with street lamps.

Some time later they were on their way back. It had been awkward but not as bad as she thought. Although she hadn't gotten a chance to get away, ask for help or alert anyone, they at least got the food without trouble and he carried it all back to the apartment. Overall he seemed fine enough at the moment. However, Jackie wondered if it was a 'silence before the storm' sort of thing, and that unnerved her even more than what she's seen of him so far.

They was nearing her shop when she saw the old lady that had left her car that morning outside her place and kneeling on the floor over something.

("_Oh no_"). Jackie had completely forgot about the car and the lady, however, it was still to early for the woman to be back. Maybe something happened?

"Hello again, ma'am. Is everything alright?" Jackie called out as she picked up her pace, thinking that the old woman may have fallen and may have problems getting up. Jackie ran towards her but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the woman groaning in an unnatural sort of way and saw what she was kneeling over.

It was a dead white cat, it's blood and guts fresh on the pavement, and the woman was devouring it.

Jackie jumped back, covering her mouth and took a step back, involuntarily making some noise with her movements and catching the woman's attention. The horrendous stench of death in the air, coming from the old woman rather than the dead feline, was enough to make Jackie gag in disgust, on the verge of throwing up. The woman turned, with what looked like to be skin rotting and peeling off, her face was a decayed and bluish mock of what it had been this morning.

_("What in the world happened to her!?")_

Before the woman could make a move towards Jackie, a sizzling bang passed at the side of Jackie's ear, and a circular hole appeared between the eyes of the old woman, made by a bullet that blew her head away in uncountable shattered fragments. The body remained in the same position for a second before sickly falling to the ground; offering some lasting twitches before it turned to ashes in front of the frightened Jackie, who whipped around, watching the silent man put his outrageously long gun and pass her to walk inside the garage, carrying the food with him as if nothing.

He entered the shop and left the bags on the front desk.

Jackie was speechless out of shock and horror as he came out again carrying a broom, and began sweeping the dust out onto the street for passing cars to disperse.

"Dust ... h-how the hell did she turn to dust-?!" Jackie shouted, covering her mouth as she stared at the old woman's clothes on the ground. "You! Why the hell did you shoot her?!" Was the next thing Jackie could process in her mind. His eyes flickered towards the garage, where she saw his back disappear through the office and into the place with apparent haste .

"Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Jackie started as she chased him into the shop. She froze by the door frame, spying a woman in the lounge.

The darkness of the room barely let Jackie see that the woman maybe had blond hair in different shades and a long sinuous braid coming from the base of her nape. Over her eyes she was using some kind night vision glasses. She appeared to be more or less around Jackie's age, perhaps a few years older, and was wearing some sort of, hi end or sci-fi looking, black armored suit, similar to those used by motorcyclist, but that to Jackie screamed 'cat burglar'. Armored, techno, cat burglar. The armor didn't let any defined traits on, but by how it clung perfectly to the female's body, it was clear that the suspicious woman was physically very fit.

The unknown woman was near the door to the lounge ready to make an escape, while the mysterious man at the other side of the room on Jackie's end kept looking at her with what could be interpreted as interest.

"Who the hell are you?" Jackie asked, flabberghasted as she looked between the two. ( Did she do something to the elderly lady? )

From her wrist, the woman threw a darkened knife at Jackie's head without warning and the man caught it mid air by the blade as it was about to struck Jackie. Jackie blinked, feeling the tip of the darkened blade barely poking the skin on her forehead. "Whoa-!" Jackie shouted as she stumbled back, a horribly delayed reaction compared to the two others in the room.

Blood dripped down the tip of the knife from the man's hands as he pulled it back from the pierced and slashed flesh. The cut was deep. Had it hit Jackie, it wouldn't have any trouble passing through the bone and kill her. Jackie quickly turned her head to search for the woman but she wasn't at the door anymore.

"Hey, you're bleeding," Jackie's heart raced as she looked between the door and the man's now bleeding and mangled hand. ("_He's hurt")_. She reached for his hand but he pulled away and started heading towards the back.

Was he planning on chasing that woman? Jackie's eyes narrowed as she wrapped her arm around his and smacked his side. "IDIOT! Can't you see that your fingers are cut? You're lucky if you still have tendons there!" She angrily growled, leaning back with all her weight and trying to force him to come along. He simply stood there and stared at her before relenting and following her to the couch.

She forced him to sit down before she grabbed the medical kit and some paper towels. Okay, prioritize. Help Hans, get r-rid of the old lady's car somehow and find out who that woman who threw the knife was later. I can only handle one crisis at a time here!

"You are going to be very lucky if I don't have to end up driving you to the hospital. Hands are your life, you know," she said, blotting the blood off and trying to find the origin of his wounds without stretching his fingers out too much. The man let out a heavy sigh, sounding bothered by her help before she pinched the tip of his pinkie, "Don't be like that. I'm taking time out of my schedule to help you," she reminded him with a gruff sneer before she searched his hand more diligently and found no wounds on the previously torn hand. "What!?... H...How!?" Where in the hell is the cut?

The man pulled his hand out of her grasp and stood up, ducking into the shop before she could grab him again.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Jackie demanded as he went to the front of the shop and picked up the clothes from the old lady. He walked right past Jackie, plucked the car keys off the side of the wall and pressed the button to open the garage door. Jackie watched, shocked as he got into the older woman's car and turned it on.

_("Was he just going to drive off with it?")_ "Hey! Where the hell are you taking that?" She demanded, making him cast a glance at her.

He got out of the running car and went to her, hooked her around the waist, effortlessly lifting her up with one arm and walking inside the garage and towards the back.

"HEY! Put me down!" She shouted before he tossed her into the locker room and shut the door. She sat there, speechless before she heard the click of the lock.

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"YOU'RE LOCKING ME IN MY OWN SHOP?!" She screamed outraged before throwing herself against the door. Although she knew how to pick locks, she didn't have her picking tools with her so she couldn't get out. She was stuck there.

The car's engine revved as Jackie clenched her fists and threw herself against the door again.

"YOU STUPID IDIOT!" Jackie screamed, hearing the car zoom off and the garage door shut.

Jackie continued to pound against the wooden door until her fists ached. This door was strong, but it was possible to break it off its hinges and she was going to keep trying, and the second she got out she's going straight to the police.

She leaned back against the locker and began kicking the door as hard as she could in an attempt to break the hinges off. After a little, her shins ached from the hard beating against the door, and she was forced to stop for a brief moment and rest, but after it and despite her tiredness, she was ready to try one more charge with all her force.

The engineer ran to ram her shoulder on the door but before she hit, the door was opened and her own impulse made her stumble onto the ground.

"Now, Ms. Jackie Penske … ," a digitally distorted voice called and Jackie looked up to the the same suspicious woman from earlier. The same woman that had almost impaled a knife in her forehead.

She came back?! There was something odd and unnerving about her. It was not the knife thing. It was like with the silence of the man. There was something unnerving in her whole presence. Like the sense of meeting an unknown predator that might rip one's throat out, and it made the hairs at the back of her neck stand up in apprehension to this stranger.

"It baffles me what Mr. big bad wolf is doing here. Perhaps you can clarify it for me …, si?" She asked while walking around Jackie as her head tilted slightly.

"Uh, who are you?" Jackie asked and stood up, taking a step back and holding up her arm as minimum protection, that wouldn't do much to deter an attack.

The woman's lips twitched up slightly, seeming amused at Jackie's attempt. "Don't worry about that. But before I have to use more 'persuasive methods' on you Miss Jackie, you may want to tell me why Captain Hans Gunsche hadn't killed you yet. " She said, once again rounding Jackie like a predator rounding a prey.

Jackie paused, unsure of what words she threw in there before realizing Hans Gunsche had to be a name. His name.

" … I have no idea who that is but if you're referring to the weird guy that showed up here I really have no idea." She truthfully didn't know anything.

"Really? So the ghoul outside was the first one you saw?" The woman took a step forward and from her forearm a darkened blade was mysteriously unsheathed. "You're lucky he killed the ghoul before it bit you... but why he intervened, I wonder?"

Jackie had no idea what this weirdo was talking about but it was obvious that she was dangerous and would have no problem killing Jackie. She gulped, clearly having no way out seeing all her escape routes were covered by the woman. Jackie was trapped.

Just then a noise was heard outside and the woman quickly turned around with amazing speed and grace to avoid a couple bullets that ended up impacting in a locker at Jackie's side. The mysterious woman hissed and jumped out of the locker room to face the other attacker.

Jackie gasped and stumbled back into the locker room as she whipped around behind the wall to hide. She barely saw the figure of an average sized person. ("_Where the hell is that guy, Hans, when there's a shootout at my shop?!") _

"So you are the one who changed that old woman." The digital voice from the woman was heard.

("The old woman? What are they talking about?") Against all common sense Jackie crawled behind the wall to see what was happening. The armor clad woman had her back to the locker room a little sideways while addressing a young man that seemed to be very high on some kind of drug.

"Yo the one who killed ma'ghoul, bitch!?" He was smiling in a horrible way that let some fangs show in his mouth, "Yo'll replace it!" He jumped forward with his fist lock and loaded and Jackie saw him clear the room in one bound. He was incredibly fast!

The woman merely moved in a split second, somehow managing to move faster than the weird man, and with an annoyed look, she plunged her forearm's blade deep into his chest before pulling her weapon up in an arc to slice his torso all the way up to the head. Before she finished cutting open the skull, the body of the man turned into ashes and fluttered to the ground. "Low vermin...", The woman shook her weapon to remove the ashes.

Jackie's jaw dropped in sheer shock. The man had turned to ash just like that older lady. Jackie's eyes turned up towards the woman, and Jackie's common sense at the uncommon came to the front of her mind. The force needed plunder and slice a body like that was as inhuman as the speed needed to evade those bullets.

_("Who is this woman, who the hell is Hans and why is everyone exploding into dust?") _

"Now... where where we?" The woman turned around to face Jackie with no sense of urgency or concern at all. She acted as if this had just been a minor distraction.

"You, you you-! You just killed him-! Into ashes! Since when the hell do people burst into ashes when they're killed?!" She cried, shocked. Is this some kind of sick joke involving magic? "Seriously, what the hell is going on? I'm going nuts over here trying to figure out who that man is, why people blow up into dust and who the hell you are too!" Jackie shouted, pointing at the 'not-possible-to-exist' woman.

Jackie was clearly flustered and close to shaking in her boots. All of this, everything that's happening is far out of her league of comprehending but she had to know what was happening all around her.

The woman rolled her eyes and approached Jackie with a cool gait, "I didn't kill him. He was already dead."

"A-Already dead? Then why was he up and walking around? I saw that sweet old lady earlier today and now she was like some kind of zombie?" Jackie said, looking to the other female for answers. "Who are you, anyways?"

"You don't know just how deep in shit you are now, do you?" The woman dismissed her questions with a flippant, mocking laugh.

"Yeah I kind of figured that when Mario moved in but this? What, what the hell is all this?" She asked, gesturing over the ground before looking to the side and taking some deep, calming breaths. Seriously, what kind of hell is her neighborhood turning into?

"I can tell you, alright … for a price that is," the woman said with a sly smile, "and I will even let you live afterwards,"She chuckled, "it's not as if anyone would believe you. This country likes to self lie and remain so oblivious."

" A price? … Is there anything else I could do for you? I hardly have enough money to keep the shop running." Jackie said. She desperately wanted to know what in the world was happening. She would be willing to give almost anything within reason.

"Not really." The woman said, playing with that blade in full view for Jackie to see.

"You sure? There's a lot as an engineer I can offer," Jackie said, not willing to give up money she didn't have so easily.

"And do you have any experience with high tech ITs? I doubt it."- She shrugged her shoulders in a somewhat pompous way, "In any case, I will still get the info I want." She pointed her blade at Jackie. "So now tell me what he's doing here?"

Jackie blinked at the threatening display, unsure of what to say to smooth things over at this point. Money seemed to be the way to go but she didn't want to do that quite yet.

"The guy that's here? I told you. I really have no idea." Jackie honestly said as she folded her arms and shifted her weight onto her foot in nervous apprehension, "He literally showed up like a day ago and stuck around. I have no idea what he wants or how to get him to leave." She said, finding no reason to lie to the woman. Jackie was a terrible liar anyway and she didn't want to get under this woman's radar too. Mario, the local mafioso, was already enough of a pain to avoid and deal with for her.

The woman's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as she quickly spun around to avoid a few shots that impacted on the wall across her previous position. In the door was the man that Jackie just learned was called Hans Gunsche, and who didn't wait to lash out at the threatening woman.

Jackie's eyes widened as she stiffened up, standing as still as a pole and praying nothing hit her. After a brief moment of silence she looked back, seeing no one at the door before a big bang sounded behind her. What the hell?! She whipped around and spied the two entered in a stand off.

After a few tense moments Hans whipped forward and lashed out at Aria, bringing his fist down over her head, but she dodged back and twisted around to deal a round kick that he blocked with his forearm while she regained her momentum just in time to jump and avoid his low kick, arching her back and supporting herself upside down with her arms and bringing down her legs to impact heavily in the ground , leaving a small crater on the wooden floor where the man had just been.

He stood up and barely acknowledged the damage on the floor and punched forward. This time, she barely dodged by rolling on the floor towards a heavy metal cart for tools that she managed to grab and throw his way, but rather than moving aside, he merely extended his first forward and destroyed the cart with a straight punch that sent the metallic remains back towards the woman, whom merely kicked it back at him with just as much strength as he had used.

Jackie's eyes roll towards the front at the alarm button. This was her chance. She whipped around and dashed to the front in hopes of getting to the alarm and set it off or to get out of the shop and away from these dangerous people. Good hell she'd more than happily run through a sketchy neighborhood if it meant she could get away from these two.

She dashed forward but after only a couple steps she tripped forward and hit her jaw hard on the ground. She sucked in a fast breath and twisted around, seeing her pants pinned to the ground by a couple black blades. Oh HELL no-! She quickly unlatched her belt before taking off, throwing the front door open before hitting the panic button and racing onto the sidewalk before the door shut and locked.

Jackie began running as fast as she could towards a lit street that would let her to a small mall. It was too late for anyone to be around but there was a small police station at it's side. The second she was able to reach that she would be safe.

"Hey baby- eh?" Luigi, Mario's lowest grunt, said before Jackie trucked past him and dashed with all her might towards the police station. She didn't care she was in her underwear and running through the streets. The police would recognize her shop's name. The cold air stabbed at her legs as she picked up the pace, determined to reach the station.

She sucked in a fast breath as the man in the trench coat leapt in front of her. I'm caught-! He whipped his jacket off and threw it into Jackie's face before hugging her and trapping her under the coat. He immediately began to run back towards the shop with her trapped under the trench coat.

"Idiot, get off-!" She shouted as he ripped the jacket off and pressed the tip of his gun under her jaw. Her eyes widened, finding herself back in her shop. So fast-! The tip of the gun pressed harder against her chin as she sucked in a fast breath, tilting her head back as he pushed harder. Police sirens sound in the distance as he points to the panic button and then at his gun. I-I get it. Play it off like nothing is wrong or else he shoots me. Just great. Jackie took some deep, calming breaths as he shoved the pants into her arms and watched her wrestle it on before he ducked below the lip of the counter. His hand hooked around her knee and pulled her right up to the counter before jamming the tip of the gun against her crotch area. Ugh … this sucks.

"Hans … is your name, right?" Jackie hesitantly asked, looking down at him as his eyes rolled up towards her from under the rim of his hat. "Hans … ugh. Keep your head down. I owe you for saving my life," she said, leaning against the counter and grabbing some money out of the register. "Hold onto this. I've been robbed," she said, setting the money in his hands and pushing his head down a little lower as she watched the police step into the shop.

"Awe~ man, your responses are slow. The guy already left." Jackie huffed, rubbing her head, "I'm telling you right now it was Luigi, the druggie that's around the corner." Jackie said as she jutted her thumb outside. "He was stupid and didn't wear a mask at all. He's an idiot." The officers take their sweet time shuffling into the shop, slouching over slightly. A faint, dreadful groan slips out of their lips as one leans back, holding a gun up to her with soulless eyes and peeling flesh on his face. More of those things-?!

"HANS-!" She shouted as she leapt back, toppling onto the ground as Hans whipped up over the counter and shot the men both dead center in the head. Dust erupted from their corpses as they fell to ashes with their clothes piling on the ground. She watched as one of their badges tumbled onto the ground and made a small clang as it fell facing up. Hans stepped around the counter and locked the door before turning back around and kneeling down, picking up their clothes.

"Oh … oh CRAP!" Jackie breathed, running her fingers through her hair as she looked around with wide eyes. She's screwed, she's _so_ screwed! "You just shot _officers of the law_\- ohmigosh I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm so dead," Jackie said, pacing back and forth as Hans stood up with their clothes and belts in hand. He walked right past Jackie, hardly casting her a glance. "Hey, hey where are you going?" Jackie asked, looking around and following after him. She stumbled back as he stepped past her with a duffle bag filled with who knows what. A small crackling came from the bag.

_Come in squad 15, come in. What's the situation? Why haven't you reported back?_ The voice asked. Hans paused before opening the bag and taking out both radios, crushing it in his hand. Jackie's jaw fell open as Hans took the broom from the corner of the shop and placed it into Jackie's trembling hands. T-That's right … I need to clean up the evidence. Those officers … weren't officers anymore. They were … ghouls or something, not human. N-Not human … Jackie sucked in a fast breath before she started to sweep up the dust, watching Hans duck out of the shop. I can't get frozen out of terror yet. There's work to be done.

She shook off her horror and quickly swept the dust up and under the counter for now. She had to work fast. They're going to be sending more units since those two didn't respond. She clicked her teeth together and went into the back behind the office and opened up the tape box, turning the cameras off and taking the tape out. She couldn't believe she was about to destroy evidence.

With a nervous gulp she walked into the alley and smashed it to bits with her foot before tossing the pieces into the garbage, making sure it was hidden under the other garbage bags before hurrying back into the shop. Already she could hear sirens going off in the distance. Oh man. She sucked in a deep breath and picked up a nearby brick, smashing the window with it. UGH I can feel the money this is going to cost me already. She went inside and moved the brick aside, picking up the pieces of the glass to put her fingerprints on it. She listened to the squad car pull in out front and sucked in a deep breath, trying to work herself up. Jackie quickly hopped out of the store, pointing down the street.

"They went that way! They were chasing down the man," Jackie called out, watching as a squad car didn't bother stopping before speeding down the road. Too bad they won't find anyone.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Mind telling us what happened?" An officer asked as he stayed behind to take the statement.

"Yeah," Jackie said, wiping her eyes before looking at him, "a guy came around and smashed my window with the brick. When the alarm didn't go off I hit the panic button but he charged on in before the door could lock, put his coat up so it wouldn't lock and proceeded to rob me," Jackie explained as she stepped inside, "he wasn't any passing guy. He was wearing gloves and knew where I kept my extra money in the back of the register," Jackie said as she let out a deep sigh. This is so annoying staying back and having to take care of all this.

But where the hell was Hans heading off to?

TIME SKIP

Jackie anxiously awaited for Hans to return. She knew he had to come back at one point. She sat on her couch and impatiently bounced her leg as she rested her head against her clenched fists. Where is that man? Did the police catch up to him? Uh oh … they would find the money on him too. Oh crap did I just screw the pooch on this one?

She jolted as there was a knock on the door . She hopped over the couch and quickly headed open, finding Hans on the other side of the door. Her eyes dart over his hands, finding them empty.

"There you are. Where did you hide them?" She asked as he stepped inside and shut the door behind himself and locked it. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the cash she handed him, every individual bill accounted for. "

Oh, thanks," she said, taking it before narrowing her eyes at him. "Sit. We need to talk," she stated.

Hans sat down and watched as she rounded the table with a notepad and pen, smacking it down in front of him and expectantly looking at him.

"Let's start with something easy. Who are you?" She asked, leaning back and folding her arms. He stared at the pen for a few moments before slowly picking it and the notepad up. She raised her eyebrows as he began to write. "Well at least you're literate." She huffed, blinking as he turned the notepad around with a very poorly drawn dog on it. Annoyed, she ripped it out of his hands and looked it over, looking at him as he pointed to himself. Oh this little pisser …

" … what are you, an idiot? You're trying to tell me you're some kind of dog?" She snapped, walking up to him. She stares at his head for ears before patting his lower back. "Then where's your tail, _dog_?" She angrily taunted, throwing the notepad down as she turned around to pace off her anger. Great, he's an idiot too. He's deadly with a gun and apparently can't write or draw for his life. A harsh shiver crawled down her spine as she froze, sensing the air growing suffocatingly heavy. She gulped, not daring to turn around as she glanced at the reflection in the mirror and spied a giant white wolf behind her.

His eyes widened as she spun around, coming face to face with the massive muzzle of the the creature before her. "What … in the hell?" She breathed, watching dumbstruck. After what seemed like an eternity of staring the wolf leaned forward and bared its fangs, showing off the dagger canines that could rip into her and effectively kill her in seconds. This guy … is a wolf? The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she stared into those familiar red eyes, jolting as his jaws clicked together before he very quietly growled.

"You're … tail. There it is," she squeaked out before coughing, glancing up at the beast. How is that possible? "Is this real?" She asked out loud as she reached forward and placed her hand on his snout, carefully watching for his reaction and ready to pull back at any second if he decided to try and bite her. She tried to speak but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She was absolutely scared to death of this giant wolf that suddenly appeared in her garage.

" … are you really Hans?" She asked, rubbing under his jaw before jolting and watching the white radiance coming off his figure evaporate as he shrunk. Fur was replaced by skin as his pants miraculously stay on his lower half. She tried to pull her hand back but he grabbed her wrist and held it firm against his cheek as he just stared at her. He … just changed into a wolf … and back. She blinked, dumbstruck by the very thought of something that could change into such a large animal standing right in front of her.

He let her hand go and walked past her stiff figure, sitting down on the couch before casually laying down. Is he just going to go to sleep? Just like that? After giving me the scare of a life time? She shakily exhaled as she wobbled on her feet, catching herself on the wall. A wolf … a giant white wolf … really? That was real, I felt it. So, is he like a werewolf?

Ugh … way too much thinking. She nervously gulped before heading down the hall to her safe haven of a room, shutting the door and locking it for good measure. Just what in the hell have I gotten myself into here?

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**Hope you liked it. **

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	3. Chapter 3

**This fic is co-written with peekodemeeko12 . We obviously don't own Hellsing or it's character but we own ours.  
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**CHAPTER 3**

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Jackie mindlessly listened to the news while repairing a car under the watchful eyes of the werewolf's eyes on her. After what she saw last night she couldn't bring herself to sleep. She literally laid on her bed with her eyes locked onto the door, watching and waiting for him to come in and kill her. But he never did. And now, here she was, fixing cars with him sitting in the room and either staring at her or looking around the place.

He hadn't left her side at all since the day before. This morning she woke up to find him sitting outside her bedroom door, either keeping guard or keeping watch; she couldn't tell which. His red eyes unnerved her to no end. Those eyes that continued to study and observe her, unrelenting and undaunting made the hair on the back of her neck rise in apprehension whenever she happened to catch his line of sight. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Sometimes she thought his rigid expression wanted to observe her and at other times just kill her. However, if he wanted her dead all he would have had to do the last couple times was step away and let her get killed. So why was he still here?

The street outside had died down to ominously silent proportions with the coming of night. Everyone is smart enough not to go outside at night without some form support like a large group and even that doesn't mean it's safe. Mario's thugs like to pick pocket and beat the crap out of those poor souls that go out alone at night. Jackie's eyes turned towards Hans, evenly staring back at him. He was absolutely dangerous. As to the reason why he wasn't leaving she had no idea so he probably wanted something. No matter what she offered him or tried to give him to make him go away didn't work. He just sat there and stared at her, nothing else.

The faint buzz of the TV called her attention back to reality when a name made Jackie's head twitch in recognition. She looked up at the tiny screen mounted in the corner, seeing Wilfred Thomas's face, an older gentleman from her same street that happened to be one of Jackie's most well known patrons, all among dozens of other faces labeled as missing persons.

_("Good hell these disappearances are getting out of hand. Some of those are people from this very block and now Wilfred is on that list. Was he taken by the same ones that are kidnapping all those other people? "_)- Her mind raced with the unnerving thought. Those kidnappers are coming down this street, it seems like.

A chilling and fearful tingle riveted down her spine as she shut and locked the hood of the car, stepping down from the small ladder she was using to reach deeper into the engine. All these people have gone missing and the police can't do a thing about it because it's in the dead of night and they can't risk coming down these streets with Mario's thugs running about.

Jackie walked to the front of the shop, checking the bars on the windows before turning the closed sign around and locking the door. Hans is a dog. Is it possible for him to track down Wilfred? There's a chance that will lead us to the gruff but nice older man and when she was at the building she could make an anonymous call to the police. I might not be able to do much but it's at least something. Jackie went behind her desk and picked up the handkerchief Mr. Thomas happened to leave behind the last time he was here. Jackie walked up to Hans, holding up the handkerchief to the rather bored looking man.

"Can you track this?" She asked. His eyes tightened slightly, as though questioning her sanity. He just gazed for some interminable seconds before leaning forward and sniffing it. He stared at the flimsy handkerchief before slightly inclining his head which Jackie interpreted as a yes.

"Get dressed. We're going to go out … Hans," Jackie hesitantly tacked on his name as she headed towards the stairs to change out of her oil stained clothes. These disappearances are going to end. And if not end, the least I can do is find the ones that are missing and help them. That is, if Hans is able to track them.

Not so long after, Jackeline Penske was walking down the street towards Mr. Thomas's apartment with Hans walking at her side and all her deep pockets filled with her lock picking tools and pepper spray. She knew that the pepper spray probably wouldn't be of much help but it's presence made her feel a bit safer while walking next to the wolf in disguise.

Hans audibly sniffed the air as his blood red eyes peeked past the rim of his high collared trench coat. Underneath that coat is probably that weird looking gun he carries around with him. She would have to look up what kind of gun that is later when she got the chance.

Hans stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as he tilted his head back, giving a few deft sniffs before continuing past the man's house. Does he have his scent? Without a word or question Jackie followed close behind him and tried hard to keep up with his fast pace without looking like she's putting a lot of effort into the near run. How is he just walking at this speed?

She followed him he guided her to a rundown factory scheduled for demolition. She clambered to a stop before the large gate fencing off the area to deter people from going in, getting her breath back after the brisk near run Hans effortlessly walked. Just how good in shape is this guy? Oh wait, of course, he's a werewolf how could I forget? Jackie sarcastically rolled her eyes towards the lock on the gate, seeing that it's been tampered with.

" … are you telling me that Mr. Thomas is in there?" Jackie asked, stepping in front of Hans. He did not motion anything and instead just stood still as stone before glancing over his shoulder at a nearby building.

"Well I guess we're going in then," Jackie said, feeling uncomfortable with the thick air of silence around them. But being quiet is probably the best thing to do since kidnappers are probably roaming around in there. Jackie grasped the lock and gave a gentle tug, startled as the lock came free with little effort. This is like those locks I've seen in the dollar stores. It looks like they're locked and trying to pick them is impossible but all that's needed is a stiff, strong tug and they come free.

Hans pushed the gate opened slightly, stepping inside and holding it for Jackie to follow. She nodded and followed him inside, not questioning anything as Hans walked around the outskirts and kept out of sight with the beams of building material laying on the ground.

Hans paused at the side of the building, looking up at a window that looked like it had been bashed in. Jackie stared at him before looking up herself and spying the same way. Her eyes dart around, looking for any sort of ladder or way up there.

"How do we get up there?" Jackie asked as Hans dipped down. She stared at him, puzzled as his eyes rolled her way. What does he want? Jackie flinched as he reached over his shoulder and patted his back. He wants me on his back … well alright then. She clambered onto his back and locked her arms around his neck as his firm hands clutched onto her knees. His muscles bunched up under her fingertips before he made a monstrous leap, making it to the ledge of the window without a problem.

Jackie remained tense, clenching her teeth tightly as she resisted the urge to let out a startle shout. O-Okay then … that was perfectly normal for a werewolf, I guess, maybe?

... Oh this is weird. Jackie shivered in fright at the height of his jump, tightly clutching his shoulders as he stepped inside. She let go and tried to step down but he held firm, shaking his head and looking down. Jackie followed his gaze and saw the horribly rusted metal ground covered in glass all around the top floor.

Low grade security system but she guessed it was fairly effective for those with sharp ears. This means there are probably people here. Jackie's heart pounded from the fear of actually running into the kidnappers. She wasn't sure Hans would help her again and for her to look into the faces of the kidnappers, which have taken so many people and not leaving a single trace as to who they are, would definitely be something to give her nightmares. Jackie held on to him as he walked along the supported edge of the floor, easily avoiding the spread out glass.

Jackie looked over the edge, half expecting to see people walking around and spied some cleaned up areas where hookahs and packages of who knows what kind of drug laid. This place has definitely been used recently.

"You sure he's here?" Jackie whispered, worried sick to her stomach. Which means that he more than likely really was kidnapped like all the other disappearances recently. But why kidnap an old man instead of killing him? That doesn't make much sense. Young girls being kidnapped made sense but indiscriminately taking people from their homes without a trace, regardless of race, age or gender? Now that was the strangest part about these totally 'all are equal in our eyes' kidnappers. "Hans … we're leaving soon to call the police after we've got some evidence, got it?" She whispered into his ear, not wanting to stay here in this creepy place any longer than she had to.

A moving figure made her tense up in alarm. Her eyes widened as her fingers dug into Hans's jacket, seeing someone walking around the ground floor with a large assault rifle in his hands. Holy- that's some heavy duty weaponry right there. She stiffened slightly as Hans stepped over to a broken part of the railing, watching the young man like a hawk watches prey. He wouldn't …

She sucked in a fast breath as he jumped off the ledge and dropped straight down. It took all of her willpower not to let out a shout as Hans landed heavily onto the man's head, slamming him against the ground. The momentum threw her off Hans's back and tumbling across the ground before her head shot up, seeing nothing but a pile of dust where the young man just was. Was he … maybe a ghoul too like that old woman before? Jackie shivered at the thought as Hans picked up the remaining clothes and gun, tossing them out of sight under a turned over table to hide the evidence.

If there are ghouls here does that mean the recent string of kidnappings are related to the ghoul and it's creator in her shop? Or those three men Hans saved her from less than a week ago? Oh man … she absolutely was in some deep trouble. Jackie gulped, looking over at the main doors. She could turn back now and forget about all of this.

But if she passed up the chance to stop this kidnapping spree she couldn't forgive herself. Mothers taken from children, brothers away from sister, grandparents from children … it was all despicable. Besides, it's a little late to try to punk out now. Those creatures that make the zombies, or, ghouls knew where she lived.

Jackie looked around for Hans, seeing him stop in front of a door. She walked over to him, seeing the convenient label 'basement' on the door. Hans casted her a glance, as if asking if she's going to open it and willingly witness the horrors which it hides. With little hesitation Jackie opened the groaning door, hearing people wailing and crying down the long stretch of stairs. And this was where there was no turning back.

Jackie heads down the stairs after Hans, peeking out over the wide opening while keeping most of herself hidden behind the wall. Her heart skipped a beat, mortified at the crime against humanity scene before her. People in the nude kept on chains were tied against the pillars. Bales of hay surround them and cover the floor in the areas where the people are at. Buckets were available and filled with vile contents beside the horrendously skinny and boney people. Most of them were lying down, groaning and sobbing and in clear pain while others were not moving at all. They all look like they've been whipped, burned and on the verge of starving to death. S-So many people … there has to be almost a hundred people here. Those missing people's report was dead wrong. It's not a handful of people; it's near a hundred.

"Well~ look who's here. Someone who came for a free implant? Your generosity is noted!" A wickedly cackling man calls. She watched a group of six people approach the stairs, none of them seeming apprehensive or hesitant at all. It's almost like they were expecting the duo. Hans continued to descend to meet them as Jackie followed, not wanting to be separated from Hans. Her eyes remain locked on the widely grinning men, noticing their pale complexion, sharp fangs and red eyes on every single one of them. Those eyes … are the same ones as the guy that was in Jackie's shop before Aria killed him. They're the ones doing this? All of this torture?

"You … did you all do this to these people?" She asked, mortified at their actions as I looked around and spied anyone between the ages of 9 to 90 among the people. All of them are in agony. Dying. Suffering.

"Pretty, ain't it?" The man laughs before pulling out a gun and aiming it for her, "now get down on your knees." His words float over her head as she turned to them, genuinely mortified at their callous nature. They enjoy this horror? They caused all this?

"How? How could you do this?" She asked, feeling dead inside as she looked at the scum standing in front of her.

"Easy! For the greens, of course," he laughed as one of the men hold up a briefcase and popped it open, showing off who knows how many hundreds bundled tightly in the case, "since the originator business went belly up we decided to find some new investors for our branches. As you can see, he didn't pay enough," he wickedly grinned before gesturing over to the wall where a man with skin tightly meshed against his bones laid.

"There's more?" She asked, shocked. They're part of a bigger enterprise. Who knows how many more there are in the city doing this to people. "How have you not been caught?"

"Ha. The police here are easy to bribe. Now, on your knees, cunt, and start sucking. You too," he said with a wicked grin as he pointed the gun at Hans. Jackie felt an immense rage rip through her horror, coming out roaring like a dragon in her seething rage. How dare they-!

"How dare you, you sack of dog shit!" Jackie angrily spat as his eyes narrow. Before she could utter another word Hans stepped forward and caught a bullet that almost goes through Jackie's head. Jackie sneered at the men, feeling her teeth chatter with incomprehensible anger. How can these people enjoy this torture? I-It's horrible.

"Hah? The fuck, man? How you do that?" He asked, looking at his gun as Jackie's heart hardened.

"Hans," she said, watching as he glanced back at her with a dutiful gaze, "take care of them … please." Jackie asked, watching as he nodded.

Hans didn't said anything. He took a couple steps forward and then he disappeared in the blink of an eye, only to reappear next in front of the man closest to Jackie in order to deal a front kick to the man's chest that sent the guy smashing towards the wall behind with such a heavy impact that tiles fell from the wall, and even before the body could slide towards the floor, Hans appeared in front of it to kick the head over the concrete and completely destroy the skull and it's insides. After the mess, Hans slightly turned his head back to look at the rest.

"WHAT!? You son of a …." - One of the guys shouted and shot in Hans direction without even aiming.

Disappearing again from sight, Hans appeared in front of the fool with his gun aimed between the man's eyes. Not blinking he shot and the bullet went straight through the bone and brain and ended up impacting the man behind in the chest. A second shot, straight through the hole dug in the man's brain, went and cleanly hit the second wounded one on the face.

Of the remaining 3 , One tried to run and two started shooting. Hans dashed forward and jumped over the one trying to run, landing on his back to make him crash to the floor. But rather than killing him immediately, Hans stomped on the back of his knees to break his legs, and then he disappeared to evade the bullets and hit one of the shooters with his elbow so that the jaw of this one got unhinged and his nose broken.

Jackie's eyes remained wide open, legs trembling at the gruesome display as she staggered back, watching Hans brutally murder the horribly people before she looked at all the people tied down and writhing on the ground in pain. Even if she helped them get out they wouldn't be able to move. Amongst all the screaming and begging for help she turned around and raced up the stairs. There was a payphone outside she could use while Hans distracted them and she could call the police. She'd just leave an anonymous tip to send every officer in New York to this exact sight. -

The last shooter then shoot towards Jackie as she raced up the stairs. Hans's action was dealing a round kick on the one he had just broken the face to kick him in front of Jackie while her back was turned to serve as a meat shield while Hans shot the man's hand and gun into smithereens, before shooting the head off.

Jackie raced out of the building as fast as she could, sprinting straight to the nearest payphone and scrambling to get her quarters out. She punched in the numbers and glanced back at the factory, waiting for them to pick up. Come on, come on hurry up people are dying in there! She held her breath, hearing the click.

"_Hello this is 911 what is your emergency?" _The woman on the line finally answered.

"Send every officer, ambulance and fire truck available to the location-," she started before a booming explosion resonated through the area. She staggered from the sound alone as the ground shook as though hit by an earthquake. The phone slipped out of her tembling fingers as she shakily craned her head back, seeing the entire factory going up in flames. Oh no. No, no all those people are still in there!

"No, no people are still alive in there!" She screamed before stumbling away from the phone. Just one, if she could save at least just one of those people down there-! She sprinted back towards the gate and spied Hans coolly walking out onto the sidewalk, unscathed and carrying two brief cases.

"Hans, Hans oh thank goodness you're alright-," she started before he pulled her into a hug and held her down as a wave of heat blew through the area. She shrunk against him and tucked her head against his chest, feeling the burning heat scorching her skin underneath her clothes. She didn't dare open her eyes until Hans loosened his grip. Her pupils shrank with resonating horror, seeing the monstrous inferno consume the building.

"No, no there are still people in there." She breathed in horror as she tried to get past him. Everything was on fire and burning but if she was fast enough, there is the smallest chance one of them got out alive. Hans's arm hooked her around the waist and quickly dragged her out of the sight despite her resisting.

"Hans, Hans stop, they could still be, could be, it's possible!" She shouted but she knew there was no helping them. More than likely all of them were burned to a crisp if not killed by the initial explosion. With heat that intense they could possibly be melted. Just the callous thought alone, imagining all those poor people who were squirming around and knowing she saw them in their last moments made her sick. Her stomach lurched as she covered her mouth, feeling her dry eyes taking in the horror. They're all dead.

Hans stepped into an alley and watched as a few police cars sped by. Jackie shoved his arm off and stumbled behind a dumpster, heaving up her stomach content onto the ground. She stood there trembling, hacking up the urges that zipped through her system. She didn't want to be here anymore. Those people, all the things those horrible people were doing to them was disgusting. Jackie felt as though she couldn't breathe as she threw up some more, feeling pins and needles prickle her stomach as she spat out the remainder of the foul tasting bile.

"Let's go home, Hans," she quietly whispered. Sirens go off left and right as they hurry down the street. Those creatures said that there were more of them out there in other places. Which means most of the kidnappings are resulting in that kind of horrible mess of mangled bodies. The thought nearly makes her throw up again but she kept it down, picking up her pace with Hans close behind. And the entire city has no idea.

But I do.

Jackie slipped into her apartment with Hans coming in behind and shutting the door. She was wondering how in the world she was going to sleep at night after this. She could only imagine the nightmares that will be haunting her with the images of all those poor people. Her eyes traveled over the briefcases Hans was holding, now curious as to what he grabbed before everything began blowing up.

"What's in the cases?" She asked, eager to get her mind off of what she saw. Hans sat down beside her and unlatched the locks before opening it to reveal the hundreds of dollars in cash the man showed to her before. "Holy … ," she started, sitting back with wide eyes. That money … that money made in killing so many people … her eyes narrowed, pissed. "I want nothing to do with dirty money." She said, closing up both cases and taking them to the front door. She paused, her fingers unwilling to let go of the vast amount of money inside. This absolutely would keep her business from tanking. I-If she were to think about this logically she should use it just in case something happens. Like the broken window she'd need to replace.

Hans head suddenly turned towards the kitchen in alert as if he had heard something and went towards it. Jackie glanced back and saw him take one step inside the kitchen but not enter completely. A half minute after, like magic, he turned around with a warm bowl of food in his hands and went to the couch like nothing.

What the? Jackie stepped away from the door and looked around the edge and saw Aria sitting at the counter with an almost feline smirk on her face as she popped pieces of popcorn into her mouth. "That was such a fun show I decided to make some popcorn for myself," she cheekily grinned as Jackie's jaw dropped.

"How the hell did you get in here?" She asked, watching as Aria pointed to the open window in the living room. Good hell I need to start putting bars in the second floor windows. " … what do you want?" Jackie asked, her grip tightening on the briefcase handles. Just what she needed, another stray popping into her house uninvited.

Aria looked at her with a funny smirk, "the question is what will you do now. You are already involved into this and puppy there won't say anything ... I find this quite interesting and funny."

" … you can tell me what's happening, right? With all the kidnappings and the, uh, chips these freaks with red eyes keep talking about?" Jackie said, deliberating before walking over to the counter and opening one of the briefcases before taking out two tight bundles amounting to 20,000 dollars. Aria nearly began to drool over the money as she grinned, reaching over for it but quickly yanked her hand back as Jackie slammed it shut just shy of lopping off some fingers. Jackie held up the money, leaning against the counter as she saw the greed in the woman's eyes. "Tell me everything."

"You'd have to pay a lot, really." Aria put her index finger at the corner of her mouth and thought about it.

"And you can see I have the money so I'm not bluffing when I say I will start paying you a lot more if you're able to get me more information on these freaks." Jackie said. Using this dirty money to pay her was just fine. Jackie wanted to know everything about these freaks and why they were torturing people like they were. It was … inhuman, their torturing is. And she may not be able to do much but she just felt like she couldn't let this pass her by. Her skin boiled and churned with anger, wanting to get back at these people that have hurt so many.

"The truth is that this all seems very funny. Not much money here, but very entertaining … ," Aria hummed, more so interested in the entertainment portion of this little job than the actual money.

"That money right there is your down payment for the time being. From here on out you will get $1,000 a week and the more information you bring back the bigger your bonuses will be depending on the information and how useful it is. I don't employ useless people." Jackie firmly stated, refusing to be taken advantage of when it comes to money.

"$2,000 and let's say that right now I tell you where is a place where they are hiding chips ready to be installed on people. How much will you pay for that?" Aria hummed with a very interested and wry smile.

"How many chips, how many guards and what's the address?" Jackie immediately replied.

"Answer first and then I'll decide if your paying enough for it. But do tell... why do you want to get more involved in this?" Aria asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"I want to know how legitimate your claim is," Jackie shot back, not willing to relinquish control of the situation, "show me proof such as pictures of the place and I'll give you ... $3,000 right off the bat for that particular bit of information and the side details such as how many chips and how many people are there guarding it at all times," Jackie countered, " … as to why I want to get involved is none of your business. I have the money, you have the knowledge and that's all either of us needs to know."

"I think I'm starting to want you alive," Aria said with a goofy smile.

"You wanted me dead earlier?" Jackie said, sounding a little uneasy, "was I that much of a prude? I thought I was just giving myself reassurance to know that you are legitimate." Jackie honestly stated.

"Oh no, that has nothing to do with it but don't worry. As long as you pay nice you will rent my loyalty. But if you betray me … ," Aria trailed off with a cheeky and mysterious smile full and threatening implications.

"I have no business turning you in. You're helping me and I'm not ungrateful. Now, show me proof of this information via pictures. I'll give you," she paused, opening the briefcase and keeping an eye on her greedy fingers as she pulled out another stack of money and thumbed through it, plucking out a $1,500, "this here now along with the down payment. Is that enough?" Jackie asked. She was going to have to google how much mercenaries normally make so this woman doesn't try to get one over on her.

Aria took out her expensive looking and military grade at least smartphone and pressed some buttons in there. A second later, Jackie's own phone rang with the notification of a new mail. There was no sender and no trail but it contained attached files.

"There," Aria said and guarded her phone while getting on with eating the popcorn.

Jackie took out her phone, not knowing if being surprised or not that the greedy mercenary had her number, and looked at the pictures. Her eyes widened as she recognized a certain store nearby in a side picture Aria took. No way … this is near the police station here. That man in the abandoned factory mentioned bribing police … is it possible the police are in on this and are holding the goods for the criminals? Jackie grit her teeth. That's pathetic. Officers are supposed to protect people.

"Thanks. Here," Jackie said as she tossed the rest of the $2,000 Aria's way and took the briefcase over to Hans. "Watch this for me, Hans. I'm just going to bed," Jackie heavily sighed before walking back to her room.

The woman began counting her money with a satisfied smile in her lips - "The longer you wait the bigger of a chance you're going to mi~iss" - She didn't even turned towards Jackie's way but eyed the briefcase. -" You asked for a small proof. I gave it to you, but as I said. It was a SMALL one. There are bigger and bloodier places… that I can rat out to you"

Jackie paused, soaking in her words with a heavy heart before sneering in disgust and quickly retreating to her room. -

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	4. Chapter 4

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**CHAPTER 4**

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After all that happened recently, Jackie went to her room with the clear intention to try and get lost into the sweet oblivion of sleep. She got ready for bed but couldn't bring herself to rest. Instead, she continued to stare at the pictures in her phone, memorizing every aspect of the pictures. All of what happened to London will happen here in New York? That couldn't happen. It shouldn't. So many people would die because of something as stupid as a chip.

Another message she knew was from Aria popped up. It read, 'Some pictures of the London Raid. Might even happen here :3 .'

Jackie may have been tired, but she couldn't help to morbidly want to know what this was about. She switched over to it and saw horribly mutilated burnt corpses and some that seemed to had been chewed among the horrific images of dead people plain in the streets where blood ran in streams.

She grit her teeth, flipping through the pictures as she felt her heart race with anxiety. This is horrible. All those people, every single one of them with families and normal lives, gone within a day. The images swelled inside her head as she shut the phone, closing her eyes and trying to go to bed and think about other things. Everything … can wait until tomorrow. For now she needed to calm down and get some sleep.

Jackie slightly twitched, cracking her eyes open and seeing a sheen of red everywhere. Bombs were placed everywhere in the room and for some reason she knew there were more around the entire tall building she was in. She looked around, seeing the images of dead and burnt bodies everywhere in the room much like the ones of the picture she saw. Was she … in one of those chip factories?

Everything was loosely constructed with nothing being defined but everything made sense in this nightmare. People were in danger and she had the answer in her small hand, the button already pressed and waiting to be released. She leaned back against the wall, emptily staring at the door bustling from the other side of the room and feeling her other hand twitch around a bright pink and girly phone in her hand.

Jackie took a deep breath, feeling her cheek twitch into a smile as she held up the detonation button just as the door burst open with a barrage of ghouls pouring into the room. Her heart jerked, frightened as she released the button.

With a short sharp scream Jackie woke and grasped at her chest, eyes wide as if she just felt like she fell from the air and slammed against the ground. She looked at her black phone, turning it back around and seeing the images once again. What the hell was she doing just trying to sleep? What kind of idiot would be able to sleep after something like that?

Jackie shivered and changed into dark clothing and grabbed a cheap duffle bag from under her bed. She needed to go and see these things herself. Right now.

All of the police will be at that fire along with other emergency personnel which she bet was still going strong even now, at 2:00 in the morning. Going now is the best option with all of the distractions happening. Plus … she couldn't sit still. She hopped into the living room and turned towards her shop downstairs with plans of what to bring. Now to prepare for a breaking and entering. Well, this will be fun. She froze as the light of a lamp came on, turning and seeing Hans staring right at her. Whoops.

"Hans, I'm going out. Watch the money." She said before hopping down the stairs into the shop to pack.

Aria listening to the door closing and the girl leaving, finished the popcorn with a satisfying smile and went to the living room where the dreaded Hans Gunsche, 'The Captain' from 'Millennium', the last battalion, was lying on the couch looking her approach with an uninterested gaze. The briefcases with the money were on the coffee table.

She sat in the other long couch and tentatively extended her hand slowly towards the briefcase, and when her hand was over the coffee table he growled under his breath. She looked at him in the eyes and pulled her hand back. He stopped his warning growl. She smirked and once again extended her hand, causing him to growled again and only stopping when she pulled her hand back. This happened a few times until she lightly laughed, finding this very funny. He put his feet over the briefcase and leaned back on the couch, not caring what she was doing in particular. He was given his orders and following them through although he didn't knew why.

"My... I wonder why you are even amusing that girl, Mr. Wolfy. Or why are you staying here at all." She closed her olive green eyes slowly at him and when she opened them to fix her gaze on his red eyes, she spoke with apparent amusement "from war attack mongrel to house dog... it's quite funny and interesting," she stood up and walked in front of him as he just eyed her, "she just hired me so I think I'll stick around for a while until I figure out what I want to know."

Hans didn't move as he coolly ignored her, staring out the window in the direction the girl had left.

Jackie quickly trotted down the side roads and alleys towards the police station. If Aria was right and all this computer chip crap is literally in the basement of a police station, people who are supposed to protect people but are actually hurting them instead ... Jackie angrily grit her teeth as she peeked in through the windows of the station and saw no one downstairs where all the evidence is kept. She hesitantly and quietly slipped out her bolt cutters from her duffle bag of tools and clipped the bars on the window. She needed to verify for herself if everything Aria has told her is true. So, unfortunately, breaking into the police station is one of the only ways to go.

She quietly set them aside and, with her gloved hands, slid them into the dumpster to hide them from passing people but at this late hour it's not like anyone would see. With a few snips she broke the hinges and laid the window to the side before slipping inside, listening intently to every small sound down to the smallest cricket in the room. Doesn't even sound like the janitor is here. She pulled out some strong wire from her bag and looped it around the door handle and a solid hand railing to prevent anyone from coming downstairs while she was there for a little while.

She shuffled the bag over her shoulder before trotting around the surprisingly small basement. Each small detail such as a small crack in the wall to the gear laying around was all in perfect resemblance to the photos taken.

She stepped inside a small room, mortified at the chips laying around on the table and a brief case beside the table. This was too easy. Why is everything just laid out for her to find? She carefully listened as she drew closer, looking inside the small glass cases holding the sickening chip. This thing … is the thing everyone is killing everyone else over?

Disgusting.

Jackie knelt down and dumped the money into her bag. They won't be getting a single cent of it. Filthy. Disgusting. These people who are supposed to be protecting the city are doing this underneath it all? And who knows how many other police stations has this sort of thing going on underneath the surface. The police can't be trusted. The truth went against her every instinct to trust these men of the law but there really was no way to know who was a true cop and who was turned dirty.

She zipped the bag shut and headed towards the window. She was absolutely livid with anger. People have laid down their lives to protect others while these people are taking them. I'll burn it all to the damn ground, right here and now! She dumped the bag into the dumpster and covered it with a trash bag before walking a few blocks down to a gas station. She went inside and looked around, finding some matches. She made sure no one was looking before slipping out $5 and sticking it among the rest of the matches as she slipped the one small pack into her underwear. She didn't like shoplifting but if he saw her getting matches and gasoline it's not hard to put two and two together.

She went to the counter and paid for some containers of gasoline and $40 worth of gas. She went back outside and filled up the four containers before walking off towards the station. Jackie took some back ways before getting behind the police station and looking inside. Looks like she wasn't discovered yet. Jackie felt uneasy setting this fire as a beginner arsonist but she didn't have a choice. Whoever was behind this was using this as a base and destroying it was the only way to make it stop without hurting innocent people.

She checked the dumpster and found her bag right where she left it, ensuring herself it hadn't been found, before slipping into the basement again. In her anger she began dosing the entire room in three cans worth of gasoline and made a trail with the fourth. She climbed back out and lit the match, throwing it inside before racing over to the dumpster and grabbing her things. She booked it down the alley and made some sharp turns back to her shop. I hope that entire building burns down with all those stupid chips inside!

She had to get back and wash these clothes in some heavy soap. She didn't want to smell like gasoline, not tonight with so much going on. Jackie made a quick turn and shouldered someone, making him stumble back and drop his groceries.

"Sorry, you alright?" Jackie asked as she turned around, flustered and began helping him pick up his groceries. A snickering laugh trailed through her ears as he crouched down and cupped his cheek, tilting his head. She looked up, startled at the abundance of tattoos all over his neck, arms and probably the rest of his body as well. Deep circles made the bottom part of his eyes their home as he widely grinned, flashing an impressive set of white chompers. I turn my eyes back to the ground as I gather his things up. Best not to stare.

"You sure you have time for chit chat with a stranger? Shouldn't you go back home to take care of your strays?" He asked in a scratchy sort of groaning tone.

"Excuse me- hello?" She called, looking around and finding the man gone. Where in the world did he go? She put the groceries away in the bag and looked inside it, recognizing the goods. This was all exactly what she got a few days ago when those creeps jumped her. She dug through the food and pulled out the receipt, seeing her phone number on it. Oh this is creepy. She shuffled the bags into her arms and hurried off back home.

Jackie rushed back to her home and scaled the stairs on the side of her building. She flipped out the keys in a frenzied rush, eager to be back inside. The door creaked opened as Jackie hastily stepped inside shutting and locking the door with the groceries in hand. Who the hell was that tattoo guy? And what was he doing with all her groceries? She walked past the living room, seeing Hans and Aria still there. Hans was busy staring at the TV as Aria playfully looked in Jackie's direction, raising a playful eyebrow.

"Oh? You did use the info?" Aria asked with a cat-like smile.

"Yeah, I did," Jackie answered, nervously glancing at the TV before setting the other duffle bag onto the counter. Aria watched, interested as she opened it to reveal a whole lot more of money, 500s bundled in each of the stacks. "Now, what else do you have for me?" Jackie asked, tossing Aria $50,000 and still having hundreds more in the bag. Jackie was pumped up and pissed off. She wanted to burn all those buildings down to the ground to make sure they don't hurt any more people. "And what practice do you have with arson?" Jackie asked, again glancing at the TV screen anxiously and staring at the news surrounding the police station on fire before switching back over to the factory one. Man they're fast. What a mess and she was the cause of both of them.

Aria's eyes ogled the money with greed like a cat looking at a fish, "of course I can!" =*¬*=

She once again took out her phone and in seconds Jackie received a new file in her phone, "this one is easier because they will only store and then transport. Now gimme my money."

Jackie saw the contents of the file and tossed Aria a few more hundreds which the happy female caught before standing up and leaving for the stairs with a content happy stroll.

"Good luck. I'm going to claim a room." Aria said with a wide grin.

_Oh fantastic, she's going to stay here? Maybe she's homeless and that's why she's staying. Or because it's cheaper and I'm paying her an arm and a leg for her information but then again having the mercenary here was better than simply waiting for her to appear_.

Jackie sighed and then looked at Hans, who just stared at the news with seemingly mild to no interest. Maybe that strange tattooed man had been right and she had just adopted some strays. But how the hell would he know in the first place about her 'strays'? It's ridiculous that he would know. _Unless he's one of Mario's men and that was a warning to stay out of his business. _A shiver shot down Jackie's spine. Now that's a scary thought.

Jackie ran a hand through her hair before heading down the hall to her room. She needed sleep. Her muscles were aching and her entire body was ready to drop in exhaustion. She opened the door and paused, seeing Aria inside her room.

"Hey, this is my room. Out." Jackie said as she jutted her thumb across the hall, "you can take the guest bedroom." She said as she stepped inside, eager to reclaim her territory from the intruder.

"You have guest rooms?" Aria asked as she rolled over the bed and stared at her.

"Yes. Across the hall." Jackie said, sniffing her shirt. Hmph, she'll soak the clothes tomorrow. She's too tired to do it now.

"But that place is bolted to the ground." Aria pouted.

"So? It's a spare room." Jackie pointed out as she tossed her jacket onto the bed, pushing Aria out. Jackie was eager to get some rest and she wasn't going to let the stray merc stand between her and her comfy bed.

As soon as the click of the lock was heard on the other side of the door Aria hissed and turned to go to the living room again where the captain Hans Gunsche was. She entered the room and deliberately made her way towards him, thoughtfully ignoring the briefcases. When she was at his side he lazily half opened one eye to look at her. She kneeled at the side of the couch and put her hands up to get his attention by pawing at the air. He opened the eye more with annoyance.

"Can you help me clean the guest room later? Please." =^x^=

She looked at him in a way that reminded him of Schrodinger. After staring at her for a few moments, not saying anything, she grinned.

"Thank you." She said and just to be playful, gave him a small peck in the cheek before getting up and heading to the other couch she had previously occupied, and took over it to sleep there for the night.

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**Hope You enjoyed.**

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	5. Chapter 5

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**CHAPTER 5**

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A loud bang against the walls makes Jackie jolt awake, shooting up in her bed and clutching her racing heart. She quickly got out of her room to see what was going on, maybe there were under attack… no, what she saw was Hans carrying a bunch of boxes out of the 'guest room' and following Aria who also was carrying a big box.

They were calmly walking while the mercenary chatted amiably not really getting any response but the occasional look or maybe even a slight nod. It amazed Jackie that they were getting along so well and so fast after they had tried to kill each other not so long ago. She couldn't really understand it, but there were also many things she didn't comprehend.

Then Jackie saw an old piece of clothing hanging from one of the boxes. A piece of clothing she hadn't seen in years.- _"Hey, wait a minute, what's in the boxes?_" -Jackie held a lot of suspicion as to what was in the boxes, feeling already that she might have to confiscate whatever was in there.

"_All the crap that was in the room_" -the mercenary said and kept walking.

"_Crap? Hey, where are you taking them?_" -Jackie snapped, darting her eyes between the door and the boxes.

"_To the dumpster since I'll be staying in that room. You should really clean up more often. It's a wonder you didn't have pest problem with all the piled up crap"_ -The green eyed female said while throwing the box out of the window directly over the dumpster outside. It was obvious that she didn't think much of Jackie's organization or cleaning skills.

Hans followed the example and did the same with the boxes he was carrying.

"_No! What the hell! Don't throw my crap out like that! Get it out of the dumpster and put it in the storage room downstairs!_" -Jackie vehemently argued with a glare-_ "what gives you the right to just throw that old crap away?!"_

"_Because it's crap. Old trash" - _Aria raised an eyebrow and looked at Jackie with distaste. Then she probably remembered that she was being paid to stay in the place and decided to speak out the situation- "_You shouldn't keep all this old crap. It's unhealthy and makes you look like a pack rat or one of those people that keep amassing useless stuff" -_

"_And why not? Hey, that's not up to you. Now just move them all downstairs into the storage room"_ -Jackie snapped. She … couldn't. She couldn't throw them away. Those things belonged to her mother and, in the worst case scenario, she would return, find her things missing and assume Jackie pawned them before proceeding to beating her within an inch of her life. The thought made her shiver.- "J_ust put them in storage in the basement. You are guests, not residences here" - Jackie reminded the both of them" -_

"_Oh Jackie …_" -Aria grinned a grin worth of the Cheshire cat- _"You see. As long as you pay me I am here as a resident. As long as he wishes he stays here as a resident too. You have us now and you can't diminish or lighten our presence. You got yourself into this madness and you have us to stop this madness from getting you. Your safe world of normal humans is gone. So get used to it and be prepared to die horribly at any possible moment" - _ **=^_^=**

The last sentence sent a frightened shiver down her spine, reminding her of the nightmare she could not remember. But for some odd reason her words resonated with her, bringing up that same fear and terror she felt in that dream.

" _J… just put all that crap into the basement. I'm going out to buy a drink_" -Jackie huffed as she grabbed her wallet and walked out the door. She'll have to check the dumpster when she got home to make sure they didn't throw anything out. Which they would probably do anyways.

"_I won't. Some of those are completely eaten out by moths. Oh! And bring me some green tea, please!_" -The mercenary called at Jackie's back.

Jackie trotted down the sidewalk towards the nearby mini market that specialized in sweet food and sometimes imported products. They might have the green tea but she wasn't sure. Jackie paused by the next building, looking back to her shop now housing two psychos. She probably shouldn't leave them alone in there but she needed to get out of that stupid house for a bit.

A few blocks later she walked into the shop, going to the soda machine in the back and grabbing herself some sweet tea and glanced at the choices, seeing green tea among the rest. Ugh. Jackie hoped this tea tasted like crap for the mercenary. Jackie walked over and filled a Big Gulp full of the green tea and headed over to the counter to pay.

Right before paying, a man with a hoodie that had some bunny ears at the top got near Jackie. He had long and sleek black hair that obscured his pale face as much as the hoodie covered the tattoos that had a day of the death art style, and that went on his skin up to his neck. Jackie stopped, making sure she's in sight of the cashier as she turned to face the man. He had Hazel with pale grey outline around the irises and his grin was quite big and creepy and he seemed to be in his 20's or 30's. She noticed him tailing her to the store and that's why she dropped into the store closer rather than the better one another block down. Is he planning to rob her right in the store? The man paused, staring at her as she stared him down with a firm look that basically said 'you-try-anything-funny-and-I'm-fighting-like-a-hellcat' face.

The man smiled with amusement at her attempt and at her noticing him. He seemed oddly pleased and stood back in line behind Jackie, way too close for comfort, while holding a bag of candy in his hand. Jackie felt her eyebrow twitch slightly in annoyance. (_**"Pest")**_

"_Who the hell are you and why are you tailing me, creep?_"- Jackie venomously snapped at him. It's best to let the potential thief know she was on to him. It will deter him from trying anything funny with her.

"_Tailing you? I just happened to be going on the same way ... or is it I who led you here?_"- He smiled in an even creepier way.

"_And keeping the same distance from me the entire time walking even when I slowed down to let you pass by?_" -She snapped. She was observant and he was absolutely under her radar of suspicion. He's probably from a few blocks down trying to make some easy cash by robbing a young woman or the elderly if he gets the chance. But those tattoos don't seem to belong to any low gang in the area. He might be a newbie stretching his arms in Mario's territory but that's a dangerous thing to do.

"_Perhaps you were the one moving at the pace I set?_" -The man said, his smile creepy as hell.

"_Please don't stand so close to me" - _Jackie said, still not believing a word he said. Every word out of his mouth is just pissing her off.

Before the strange man could say anything else, a voice called out-_ "Miss Penske. This man isn't bothering you, is he?"_ -An officer by the last name of Michaels, as labeled appropriately by his nametag, appeared to rescue her from the discomforting situation. A police officer surely would deter the creeper.

"_Yes officer, he is"_ -Jackie said, stepping back and heading to the counter to let the officer deal with the creep. She'll thank him in a minute.

The man puts his candy on the other counter and paid before Jackie, getting the transaction done at the same time as Jackie. And as if this hadn't been anything he turned to her- _"I apologize miss if my behavior startles you. It's just in my nature_" -He said with an overly dramatic bow that made the bunny ears of the hoodie fall in front of his face. Then he turned around and left the store.

"_What a creep" - _ -Jackie said as the officer let out a faint laugh.

"_It's the weird ones you need to take in stride. The normal ones are actually the scariest" _-The officer said, cracking the joke that made Jackie's lip twitch up. He's funny.

"_True enough_" -She shrugs as she started getting out her money to pay before the officer put down a ten dollar bill on the counter. Jackie blinked, more troubled than puzzled.

"_What are you doing paying for me?_" -Jackie asked, surprised by the officer's actions. The hell? What does he want?

The officer was surprised by her being surprised, but he assumed it was to be expected after the little incident and because she had been in a dangerous environment for a while with all those incidents recently. But the least he could do was being nice to her and showed that policemen were there to help. -"_I apologize for that man's rude behavior. I saw him earlier and did not step in until I saw him enter the shop behind you. I could have prevented some anxieties but did not take the measures to do so. And for that, I apologize_" -He said with a smile as he took the drinks and offered the sweet tea to her while holding the green tea- _"Let me walk you home" -_

"_Thank you but it's not necessary"_ -Jackie said, bothered that the officer paid for the drinks. He wants something but she couldn't figure out what exactly he wanted.

"_Maybe not, but then see it as me doing my job. There had been a few disappearances in the area and rumors of civilians going missing_" - The officer looked really bothered and worried.

Jackie considered that some of those might as well be her fault as her heart skipped a beat with worry.- "_Y-Yeah? Like who?"_

"_We are not sure … in the burned factory we found_" - He stopped in mid-sentence, pausing.

"_You can tell me. I see worse on the news" _\- Jackie said, curious to what the police knew about the case so far. - "_And I would appreciate it if you did tell me, officer. There was an older man who went missing not too long ago_" - Jackie said, taking a sip of her drink.

"_By dental records we've found the identities of people mostly in this area of the neighborhood. I caution you to please be careful while out and about doing your business and to avoid walking around at night_"

Jackie cussed mentally. She hadn't thought of dental records. _\- "Fire? You mean that big factory fire a dozen blocks down?_" -Jackie asked in a too 'cutesy' voice for her liking. _Relax_, she reminded herself. If she didn't loosen up she'd blow her cover.

"_Er, yes"_ \- The officer said with a stiff nod, making the right turn to her street. The move made her walk a little slower as she cautiously eyed the officer.

"_You know where my work and house is_?" -Jackie asked, a little suspicious. Could he have been part of the group that's using the police as a cover? Is he using me? The officer looked away with slightly pink ears.

"_Well, as an officer of this section I must be aware of all the businesses involved and their owners. You caught my attention over the others due to your young age and taking over the family business so early on." _

"_Not that I had much choice, but thank you."_ \- Jackie said with a stiff voice. This is unnerving.

The officer smiled kindly. - "_Then let us go_"

During their way back they chat with calm and for the first time in a while, Jackie enjoyed the trip around the neighborhood. However, just when they were nearing Jackie's place they spied a patrol car in front of her shop. She looked up, seeing the police officers walking out of her shop before they noticed Jackie and the officer walking towards them.

( _Uh … what were they doing in my shop?_ )

"_Well done Robert!"_ -The officer that came out of the shop said with a grin as he headed over to them.

"_Um … thank you? What did I do well?_" -Officer Michaels asked, just as confused as Jackie was.

"_Jackie Penske, if you would, we would like you to come to the station for questioning regarding the arson of a police branch stationed there. If you refuse I will get a warrant and return_" - The other officer said with folded arms and a firm expression.

"_What?!"_ -Both Jackie and officer Michaels shouted.

"_Robert, you didn't read the files today? How negligent. But since you're a newbie I'll let it pass_" - The officer sighed as he opened the car door for Jackie. - "Now, what's it going to be young lady?"

Jackie considered her options and got up in the car, and not long after she nervously fidgeted in an interrogation room of the kind of all classical low budget movies.

Officer Michaels leaned against the wall, looking uncomfortable and staring at her after reading the reports while the other officer, named Thompson, was sitting in the chair and glaring at her. His complete attitude made a complete 180 and it made Jackie wonder what happened while she was being transported here by them.

"_What were you doing on the night the station went up in flames?_"- Officer Thompson started rather straightforwardly and harsh, making Jackie pause at his ferocity before answering.

_So … good cop bad cop then? Jackie stared into his eyes, seeing the true hatred and anger burning him up from the inside out. Holy crap_. _-__"I was in my shop, of course. I'm always there working or cleaning up_" - Jackie assured.

"_And at any point and time did you happen to go out? __Take a stroll through the park, say, or maybe to the pub with your friends_" - He asked with a seemingly calm demeanor but that so called calmness only made Jackie literally feel the storm that was about to hit.

"_Other than for some fresh air, no. The shop needed to be cleaned up and organized_" - Jackie firmly answered. This isn't a random pick up. They have something that puts her in the area at one point of the night.

"_And how long did this walk take? __Call up your significant other, tell them it will be five minutes which of course, of course we know turns into five hours_!" -He shouted with a barking laugh, making Jackie jump. Okay, now I know something is off.

"_Um … is everything alright, Officer_?"- Jackie asked, glancing up at Officer Michaels and seeing him slightly shrug his shoulders while cautiously eyeing his partner.

"_Shouldn't we have to tell her about her situation?_"- Officer Michaels interrupted, trying to steer him in the right direction again.

"_Oh, but of course we should! After all, who likes to be left in the dark?"_\- He said with a laugh before turning his attention back to a stiff and very uneasy Jackie. This interrogation is weird and the guy seems pretty mentally unstable. Thompson took the remote control to set play to a recording in the small TV of the room. _\- "Then maybe this will jog your memory_"

Jackie watched the footage of a gas station, trying to concentrate amongst the impatient tapping of the man's foot against the ground. She watched as she quickly crossed the lot in full view of the cameras. Her eyes widened before she took a cool gaze again. (_Crap._) Jackie took a deep breath before sighing.

"_I run a shop with cars. For the elderly clients I add a few gallons to their gas tank to help them out here and there_" - Jackie truthfully said.

Without warning the officer's arm shot out, grabbing the collar on her shirt before his other hand slapped her across the face. What the-?! Completely shocked at his actions she didn't have time to resist as he yanked her forward and smacked her head against the table.

"George, what in God's name are you doing?!" Officer Michaels demanded as he grabbed the older cop's arm and tried to rip him back. The officer's grip remained firm on Jackie's shirt until Officer Michaels twisted the older cop's arm, forcing him to drop Jackie and clamber to the ground with Officer Michaels on top.

Jackie stumbled back and held her head, breathing hard as two other officers rushed in to help restrain the elderly man and not even a minute after, the head honcho of the police station walked in, observing the situation and pulling Jackie to her feet. She shakily stood up, startled by the sudden police brutality. She knew the laws pretty well and that alone warranted for a _lot_ of nasty things against him. But what in the world just triggered him to do something like that?

"_I'm sorry miss"_ \- He said while brushing her shoulders. _\- "I deeply apologize for officer Thompson's behavior. I assure you measures will be taken, but please allow me to take you to the hospital for a checkup_" - He offered, clearly wanting to take her out of the situation and away from Thompson before looking at the other officers who took the abusive man away.

Jackie took a step back.- _"No thank you. I just want to go home_"

The chief remained silent a couple seconds, studying her with a concerned frown. He clearly was worried about his officers and not so much about her; he's probably already thinking up a huge list of lawyers in case Jackie decided to press charges.

"_Very well miss. You may go. Can I have you be driven to your place_?" -He offered.

"_Showing up at the shop from a police car won't look too good for me. Walking is just fine_" - Jackie said, setting her hand over her nose. Ouch. It doesn't feel broken but it's definitely sore as hell and is going to hurt tomorrow.

"_If you insist"_ \- The chief said with a nod, holding the door open. - _"I will escort you out. Officer Roberts, go check on your partner" -_ The chief said with a rather stern voice, controlling his temper pretty well.

"_Right away sir_" - Officer Robert said with a sharp nod, standing at attention as Jackie got a peek at his stiffened back and firm expression. _Woof woof man in uniform~ no, no. Home, I need home now._ Jackie rubbed her eyes as the chief brought her to the front door, telling her to call the station if any trouble arises from their presence earlier in her shop. Jackie waved him no and quickly went on her way, pausing as she saw the same creepy man as before that had followed her. A shiver crawled down her spine as she stared at the bunny hoodie, now with a missing eye and the other improperly sewn onto the hood of it. The man caught her eye and winked as he popped some candy in his mouth, turning and walking away.

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For those of you who have read the stories in the 'Heart no kuni no Alice' fandom, yes, it's peekodeemeko's OC 'Jackie' , but it's not exactly the same 'Aria' as this is a different time, more like a version of her in a different time, perhaps even an ancestor.


	6. Chapter 6

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**CHAPTER 6**

Jackie came back to her shop to find Hans and Aria playing cards on the living room. She slumped inside, kicking the door shut behind her as she walked into her home and listened to their card game going on. She was just exhausted from today. She didn't do too much work but maybe her tiredness is coming from all the tension and stress from yesterday. She could only handle so much before dropping.

"_Did the interrogation went fine or did you blow up?"-_ Aria asked without looking at Jackie but the tension could be sensed in the air coming from both card players and it was completely directed towards the mechanic.

"_It went fine_" -Jackie said as she walked passed them, not letting them see the giant welt on the side of her face from getting slapped and having her head hit the hard metal table. It wasn't hard but it was enough to scare the hell out of her. Yet it isn't as scary as what she had seen these two do.

"_Go and put some ice in that hit_"- The mercenary said while lowering her hand of cards on the table and causing Jackie to stop her pace and raise an eyebrow in her direction.

**(**_**How did she know?**_**)**

Without regarding her, Aria responded the unanswered question -"_Relax woman. I hijacked their files. I know what happened today and what they know about you... or think they know"_

Jackie paused. - "_Just that one tape, right? They don't have anything more, right?_" -Jackie asked, holding her head as she looked at Aria, knowing that it would be a lot of trouble if they caught her.

Aria put her cards down and Hans did too. Aria cussed and passed some oreo cookies to the perfect poker faced man, they were using the cookies as their currency rather than real money.

Jackie sighed before walking into the kitchen and pulling out some frozen peas before laying it on the welt on her head_. -"Aria, tell me. What else do they have on me besides the tapes?_"- Jackie asked, contemplating on using the officer Robberts to get the inside of what they know.

"_They have street cameras records and a couple of testimonies saying you were near the area of the fire but nothing definite. I could erase those videos but it would be too suspicious at the moment. However I made sure to miss-salvage the testimonies_"

**(**_**What's going on here? What did Aria mean?**_**)**

"_Of me? Crap_" - Jackie heavily sighed as she rubbed her head. Great, how is a walk for fresh air going to cover that? "Yeah, nothing definite but it's enough to bring me in for questioning. But … after what happened in there they probably won't be able to get me in again" - Jackie thoughtfully said. But what the hell happened? The officer seemed pretty calm before snapping. "Do you have anything on the officer interrogating me? And Officer Michaels?" Jackie asked, curious about those two now. She's under their radar for sure and she wanted to know more about them.

"_Yeah, I checked, but it's pretty boring... unless you want to see some photos of the cute Officer Robert Michaels_"** ;)**

"_Of course not. They're suspicious and now I'm under their radar. That's bad considering I've got you two here with me_" - Jackie pointed out before blinking. _\- "Do you both have social security numbers? Or green cards? Or any kind of identification?_" -Jackie asked with wide eyes. They need to have some form of identity especially if the police are going to be coming around here more often.

"_Oh? All that and even more. You want photos? I got one during Michaels graduation and he looks cute wearing only those cowboy pants fu,fu,fu_" - Aria snickered- "_However he seems to be clean in his profile.__ The other guy however... abuse, corruption and various nasty things that obviously are not in his official folde_r"

"_Is he … a dirty cop_?" Jackie asked. Maybe he was involved with the … no, she shouldn't jump to conclusions. - _"look more into that for me. Anyway, tell me, what forms of identification do you have? Hans, do you have any?"_

"_Like most of them. I have his social security ID, his elector card, the number of his insurance, the police officer number, his credit card numbers... and he spends way more than what he earns as a cop_"

"_ARIA_," - Jackie firmly stated, making her stop short. - "what identification do YOU have about you?" Jackie said with an annoyed tone. - "_they'll probably be trying to look you two up as well" _

"_Tell me what you want and I'll get one forged. But don't worry. They wont find anything on us. Captain wolf is probably dead before ww2 and I don't exist on any record anymore anywhere. Plus we aren't from this shitty country_" - the mercenary said with mysterious calm on her tone and complete confidence in her words.

Jackie blinked, speechless. - "_so neither of you have any fucking birth certificates or passports or __anything__ for the police to look up? Don't you think they'll find that suspicious_?"

Aria laughed heartlessly -"_To what human law and countries consider we don't exist. And they haven't seen us. Unlike you, we are careful_ "

"_THAT'S THE PROBLEM!"_ -Jackie shouted, losing her patience before taking a deep breath to calm herself. - "_you've both been seen around my shop by people. Without any documentations as to who you are, or supposedly are, they can have you deported or arrested here in America" _\- Jackie said.

"_First of all. America is a continent with more than 30 countries. You can't be deported from a continent. Second. Deported where exactly_? _Han's country stopped existing after ww2 and I don't even look like my heritage is supposed to look, so it's impossible to know where I'm from unless I let it on. _"-Aria kept continued her mocking laugh as if it was really funny.

"_This is a problem for me, Aria! Right now I am employing two illegal citizens living under my own roof and I can get majorly fined for that, __that's__ the problem! You two need to scrape up some forms of identification and put yourselves into the American data system somehow so if one nosy _officer decides to look you up he can find something"

"_We aren't even citizens idiot. That would be worse for you. I can hijack the data of your old worker and mix it with a couple forged ID's, but it's better if no one knows of us. You think how exposed you would get towards non human threats_?" - Aria sneered and rolled her eyes - "_And I would only be using __USA's__ records… I don't know if I should mock you or abandon you… after getting involved with creatures that your mind tells you shouldn't exist you still think on 'abiding by the law' ? How stupid can you be?"_

"_Well excuse me for not really understanding how the hell I'm supposed to do any of this it's not like I know how to slip through the cracks_" - Jackie snapped towards her. - _"right now we're under human law. You need to … forge or go into the black market_" - Jackie said, hating that she's ordering them to do something highly illegal. - _"and get some identity for yourselves. I don't care how or what names you choose or what backgrounds you both want but you __need__ identification here. Particularly since the police are sniffing at our backdoors!"_

Aria rolled her eyes. - "_fine. I'll get some adoption certificate from the pound_"

"_Aria, stop dancing around what I am saying and get some sort of identification, legal or otherwise_!" -Jackie growled. She really had no idea what to do in this situation. All she knew is that they are going to be considered to be illegal aliens in the eyes of the US.

"_Fool. Do you know just how many illegal workers are here that merely use some security number from someone else? We can always bribe that cop too. He is a regular for that_" – Aria shrugged her shoulders.

"_Then do exactly that_" - Jackie desperately snapped. - _"and no, don't bribe cops … wait, which is a regular?"_ -Jackie asked, puzzled.

"_The one you wanted info from. The one who hit you. But so are a bunch of them. The different ethnical or local mafias have their deals established already with the cops and immigrations agents_. "

"_So he is a dirty cop … anyway, that's not the problem. Aria, just go and get some form of identity off the black market. I have no idea how it works but I will give you $20,000 to start on this assignment_" - Jackie said, pulling out the money. She was done arguing with the woman.

"_Okay_!" **:3** Aria immediately beamed at the prospect, knowing that it would take her only a couple hundreds to get the IDs and documentation.

"_Get as much identity behind both you and Hans with fake names or whatever the hell you want. I don't care. Just don't tell me how you went about it. I just need some identity to show the cops if they ever demand to see some ID from you two_" - Jackie really had no idea any more except for they needing some ID.

Aria gleefully took the money from her and took out her laptop to start sending some emails. Then a sort of sinister gleam reached her eyes- "_By the way. I might have discovered something about those cops that you won't like.._ "

Jackie rolled her eyes and rubbed her head. She was tired from today's craziness but she had to go open up shop.

"_What else is it_?" -Jackie asked, looking over to Aria. A tiny part of her at least prayed that Officer Michaels wasn't a dirty cop too. He seemed like an honestly sensible, kind guy.

The merc or spy watched her nails with sudden interest -_"Just the building where they seemed to have taken the disappeared people that they've been using for experimenting on the chips_"

"_Don't tell me it's owned by the city"_ \- Jackie asked, flickering her gaze over to Aria. Just how far up in the chain of command does this go up?

Aria chuckled evilly **(**_**You seriously thought that their higher ups weren't involved**_?) - _"How stupidly naive of you girl. Didn't you hear of London?"_

"_It was a small, hopeful shred of thought. How far up does it go? Tell me, Aria, how high … what does London_"- Jackie started before freezing as everything began to add up. - "_you mean that giant fire that took out half of London was part of the man-made chip business?!"_ ackie gasped, shocked. This is bad. This is really, really bad.

Aria twisted her lip and sneered - _"Now this so pathetic. You are really stupid if you believe that crap, you just proved yourself to be so estulta . __De veras crees que un pequeño incendio mataría a tantos miles de personas y dejaría sus cadáveres pudriéndose en las calles de esa forma? __**(that you really think a mere fire could kill so many thousands of people in this era and leave the corpses rotting in the streets like that?)**__ what else could one expect of a gringa_" - The green eyes woman saw Jackie with clear disgust.

"_The whole thing was hushed up pretty fast and I was working when I saw it on the news. I suspected terrorism that London didn't want getting out but this_?" -Jackie said, now feeling her heart ache. How far up is the man-made chip business in her precious country of America?- _" … tell me, Aria, -"how far up does this entire operation go? To the president? To the senate? House of representatives? Oh good hell don't tell me it got to the Supreme Court! Or the FBI o-or CSI or whatever the hell else is out there?!"_ -If people in the FBI were infected with this chip business Jackie might as well go walking around with a target on her back for consideration for the snipers.

Aria's sneer was even more harsh towards Jackie (_**Your president is a puppet. Your senate is full of big companies interests. Your electoral system is a joke. What did you expect? that all this was happening only in very remote cases? Bha! Your economy is full of debt and the dollar has lost its value and its only sustained by oil markets hold by wars in middle east that you cause or support.**_**)** Yet her smile turned into an evil smirk - _"Why don't you find out about that building? I'll give you the details and you can check for yourself? If you can't even do that alone then it's not worth for me to remain here for long because you will get killed anyways in a stupid way_"

"_Shut the hell up"_ \- Jackie snapped as she got up and headed towards the door leading to her shop. - _"I'll go check it out but just to verify if what you are saying is true. For all I know you're lying through your teeth to get more money out of me. At this point and time I do not trust either of you and have not this entire time" _\- Jackie said, sounding sour.

"_Oh! At last I hear something smart coming out of your mouth_"- Aria mocked her and threw a paper to the floor at Jackie's feet before turning away with her head high, retreating towards her room. The antics and ignorance of Jackie Penske were truly pathetic and deserved death at best. She would see her actions upon her little taunt. It was almost laughable that the girl though that she had any kind of authority here or that such small amounts of her money could put a merc like her on her side. No, that was just a charade from her part. She had her own reasons for being here, and they lingered with the werewolf that had oddly decided to lay down here for a while.

Jackie rolled her eyes, but got down to lift what Aria had thrown. It was an address and the print of the photo of a building. She headed down to the shop and shut the door behind her, pissed off at the conversation with the mercenary. After a few moments or swallowing her discontent, she fell silent as she turned towards the table and rested her forehead on her fists.

So this is one very large operation just like the one in London. And if nothing is done … if nothing is done her country was going to end up in flames, just like what happened to London. If everything Aria is saying is true … what was she going to do?.

.


	7. Chapter 7

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text

_-"Dialogue"_-

**_("Inner thinking"_****)**

**.**

* * *

**.**

**CHAPTER 7**

.

Jackie was examining the info that Aria had given her. Well, 'given' was not the right world because the mercenary had basically tossed it at her with no care or respect after getting angry for some reason and turning to the nasty; which now that the engineer thought of it was strange. Nothing had irked that woman before or disturbed her in any way and now that she was more calm, a couple of things the informant had said were itching in her mind like a bothersome insect.

What the hell had she meant when she said that about being from a country that didn't exist anymore? or that America was a continent with tons of countries? And what was that about ww2? What had she really meant when she said that she wasn't in any record? and what the hell about looking like a heritage? She had even spoken in another language. Spanish now that she considered the accent. And What did all had to do with London?

What had that all been really about? She had no idea and that bothered her greatly, partly because she knew that Aria was right, and partly because she couldn't picture the big panorama here. The pieces were scattered, but they were in front of her. What was she missing? and what was she really playing with? Suddenly it didn't seem as if she was the one ordering those two around, but rather that they were just letting her do so. That was probably the case. But why?

She groaned and hit her forehead on the table. Yeah, she was just some girl that had gotten into this by accident. But she was not going to try and overlook it. That simply wasn't right... or perhaps she simply didn't want to be seen as pathetic... She didn't care what others thought of her. But she could not live with herself if she allowed herself that. So she looked at the info and took a decision.

Whether she felt good or bad, she had to check the place.

A few hours later and time had advanced to be the middle of the night as silently as she could to do some recon of her own in the building Aria had oh so casually mentioned was producing some of the chips that were used to change humans into vampires. She wanted to see for herself what all and prove, more to herself, that she was capable of doing something important and useful on her own, because truth be told she was still very wary of those two. They were undoubtedly dangerous and she still wasn't sure what they wanted or what all this was about. By now she was considering adding a sign on her shop's door 'Beware the dog. The cat isn't trustworthy either'

She finally reached the building. It was an industrial navy that had been a fabric when this side of time was on a good economical streak, but now it was abandoned... or not quite so. As she observed it from a distance she saw a few cars leave the building; which prompted her into hurrying to enter the place through the back. Hopefully they all left in those cars, which it looks like that's exactly what they did.

She wanted to be able to do something if it just happened that the intel Aria had gathered was true, so she had come prepared. In her duffle bag she had bolt cutters, a taser, and some other things she thought she might need... like a gallon of gasoline and matches. She felt proud of herself for thinking ahead. Using the bolt cutters, she sliced through the bars to the basement and entered without any noise or trouble.

Jackie crawled inside easily and quietly sneaked around the decent sized basement. The place was huge, more than weird and eerie. It wasn't as dusty as it should be, meaning that it wasn't totally abandoned. She explored around and found a room full of beakers, test tubes and other things. It looked like a prop for a cheap horror movie. Her eyes scanned the place and, under some dim green light, one thing caught her attention. A briefcase chained to the wall and at its side an entire array of test tubes. When she approached the stuff, she clearly saw that the test tubes contained chips in them. Aria had been right about this place.

She shivered at the sight, thinking of how many people would die due to these things if she didn't act, how many lives would be destroyed... She was not gonna allow it. In her anger, she doused the room in gasoline, due to the old papers and furniture around the place it was sure to burn easy and fast, but before she lit her matches, she cut the briefcase loose with the bolt cutters and put it, whatever the contents were, inside her bag, because something told her that if it had been chained like that, it was important and maybe incriminating for whoever was doing this monstrosity.

With what little fuel she had after covering the entire basement fairly lightly, she made a line over to the window and hoisted herself up and out, lighting a match and throwing it onto the line, and watching the fire flare to life. Hopefully that the entire building would burn down with everything inside.

Jackie cut the briefcase open with the sturdy bolt cutters, finding even more stacks of money. A sneer of disgust curled her lip up as she stared at the dirty money. This dirty money was made off of the blood and lives of other people and the mere thought of using it violated her own personal morals. However, using it to pay Aria would be just fine. The mercenary would probably strangle her at best if she found out Jackie burned the money along with the rest of the facility. With a fast motion she dumped the contents of the briefcase into her duffel bag before tossing the sleek black and leather case into the fire.

With a shaky breath at what she's done, Jackie hurried back towards her home while sirens began blaring everywhere on the street. What, they're searching for the arsonist who did it already? What a fast response. She gagged in disgust at herself and what she has been doing lately. _Setting fire to buildings … I'm a criminal, that's for sure_. But she checked the surrounding buildings attached to it and they were all empty too. No innocent people that would get hurt.

Jackie turned onto the sidewalk, walking more obviously and less suspiciously as two officers came walking down the sidewalk. With a calming exhale she gripped the duffle bag tighter, walking a little slower and relaxed as she moved aside to make room for the officers. One of the officer's sharp gazes caught sight of her tight grip, his face remaining neutral but red flags shooting up behind his gaze.

"_Excuse me miss. Would you care to tell us what you're doing out at this hour? Its pretty late. Is there some problem?_" -One officer questioned her.

"_Problem? Uh, not at all. I'm just trying to get home."_ -Jackie said with a shrug.

"_Mind if we ask what's in that bag?"_\- The other officer asked.

"_Well, to be honest it's money. I know, I know it looks really suspicious and weird but I have a good explanation for it._" -Jackie said, pulling her bag around and desperately wracking her mind for an excuse. What, she decided to withdraw her life savings in the middle of the night? Anyone would find that weird. With a tense hand she unzipped the bag, watching as an officer shown a flashlight at its contents to reveal pastel colored fake bills bundled up inside as Jackie picked one up, looking at it in shock.

"_Monopoly money?"_ -One of the officers asks, baffled before the other started laughing.

"_What, that's all?_" -He said while blinking, probably relieved it wasn't actual money, "you had me going there for a minute, sweetheart but humor me. What are you doing with Monopoly money out here in the middle of the night?" He asked, looking around and half expecting a fellow officer to jump out of nowhere and yell 'surprise'.

"_Uh … y-yeah, haha, you caught me, I'm on a Monopoly heist and my friends dared me to start walking around with all this. When I saw the building catch on fire I started to head home"_ \- she honestly admitted, tightly gripping her duffle bag. When? When could have someone switched it out? How did that happened?

"_You saw the fire start?" _\- The officer asked, seeming weary and focused on her.

"_Uh, yeah why? There were some other people there, some on their phones who were already calling so I didn't bother to call anyone_" - She quickly said without any planned lie.

"_Hold on, miss. That street is deserted and when police arrived no one was one scene" _\- The other officer's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Really? They must have run when they heard you coming. That place is often … uh" - she hesitated, glancing off to the side. - "_Tell you what, go there sometime Thursday at 3:00 am to the building across the street and you will see exactly what I mean"_ \- she says. Well great now some drug lord is busted, that's for sure.

"_And you know this why?"_ -He crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"_People from this area often come to my shop" _\- like said drug lord who made her fix his car for half the price it should have been, and then made her give it up for free when she found his crack stash in the back of his car. Nearly scared her to death especially since no one else was there. _-"And … sir, I'm sorry sir, but can I please go home? I really don't like discussing this kind of thing in the open"_ \- Jackie admitted, honestly concerned as she looks around the buildings. The gangs here are fairly rough and definitely won't like her squealing on them. She had enough trouble with them as it is.

The officer nodded. _-__"I understand your concern. Does this man happen to be named Victor de Niro, otherwise known as Mario on the streets?"_ -The officer questioned. Her heart skips a beat as she shuts her mouth, looking off to the side as she covers her mouth. Crap.

He stares at her for a few moments before pulling out his card. - "_Please, if you have any information regarding this man contact me or any other police officer. He is very dangerous"_ \- the officer says, seeming nervous and hopeful himself.

"_Y-Yeah, will do" _\- Jackie says, putting the card in the duffle bag before zipping it shut. - _"Now I need to go, Officers_" - she hastily said as she looked around carefully before hurrying off. She hadn't realized she was in Mario's territory until that officer brought it up. She was absolutely in some deep trouble if anyone actually saw her.

Mario was the main reason she now had the shop all to herself. He chased away all of the other workers away and threatened to kill them, leaving her all by herself at the shop, vulnerable and living without a peace of mind knowing he could come for her at any point he wanted to and destroy the shop, steal from her or anything else he wanted to. The thought honestly scared her. Before, with no one else there, she felt safer knowing the others were safe. But now there were 2 more people living at her shop and she had no intentions on letting Mario get his hands on them, although she also wondered what could happen if Mario even tried. She grit her teeth, picking up her pace.

Jackie hurried down the street and turned around a corner, spying some of Mario's men, known by the tattoos on their biceps of a pair of crossed pipes, leaning against the wall in wait for her. She grit her teeth, nervous before dipping inside the only nearby open shop. They'll have to leave soon enough and if not she'll beg the shop owner to let her stay there the night. She stepped inside, almost immediately regretting it the moment she saw all the old artifacts and tiny trinkets covering the entire shop from top to bottom.

"_Oh~ well welcome, my dear. I hadn't expected anyone at this late hour_" - someone said, nearly making her jump out of her skin. She whipped around, spying a man in his upper twenties and too many tattoos to count covering his entire body up to his fingertips. She stared at his neck where the tattoos went right up underneath to his jawline. His hair falling lightly over his eyes and his tattoo reminded her of the guy earlier that bugged her but there's no way her luck was that bad. However, after a moment studying his creepy smile she recognized him for sure. It was the same guy.

Now she double regretted her decision to come in here when she recognized the man that had followed her into some food store on an early incident.

"_Yeah, sorry about that. Were you just about to close up shop_?" -Jackie asked, not really caring if she was a bother at this point. At least he wasn't wearing the bunny eared hoodie. She had more pressing concerns about the two men waiting for her. It was only a matter of time before they decided to come inside and drag her out but having a witness in here might deter that. Hopefully.

"_Not at all. After all, the most interesting things tend to happen at night"_ \- he said with a cheeky smile as he stands up, revealing he was wearing a black robe with a sash tied around his waist to hold it together. He tapped his chin, leaning over the counter as he stared at her. -"_Say now, aren't you the girl that owns the car shop a few blocks down? __We didn't get the chance to introduce ourselves at the food store_" - He asked as he tilted his head with a cheeky grin.

"_Yeah_" - she said, turning around to take a look at the shop. She's never noticed this shop tucked into the small crevice that it's in. The shop wasn't very wide but it was deep. Not any part of the wall or shelved could be seen beyond the … well, by what she could only describe as voodoo and occult items stacked everywhere. Feathers, sticks, fires, weirdly bound books in strange languages … she definitely chose the wrong shop to step into. -_"Uh, what kind of shop is this?"_ -She asked, turning around and seeing his face an inch from hers. She jumped back, startled as he grinned with the strangest laugh slipping out between his teeth.

"_Che hee hee hee~ well, this is a very special shop, dear. A shop where humanity and the supernatural collide. Is there anything that you've wanted but could never obtain through regular means of hard work?_" -He asked, leaning his head in and tilting it with playfully gleaming eyes that put her nerves on end.

" … _and if there is? What do you have to help_?" -Jackie asked with a raised eyebrow. She might as well chat with the guy to help ease up her situation. His grin grew wider as he clapped his hands together with a broadening grin.

"_Excellent! Which is it you desire? Wealth? Love? Guidance? __Pet control and training_?" -He asked, staring at her from under his bangs.

"_Guidance"_ \- Jackie admitted, now becoming a little more interested. Even if this was all voodoo witchcraft fake crap there might be something to at least gain from this. Plus she had time to kill with those creeps out front. His wicked grin softened to a smile, putting her at ease for some reason. He turned and walked towards the back without another word, motioning for her to follow. She walked down the long hall and watched him pull the beads back in a door frame before turning back to her with a cool and collected smile.

"_Then allow me to be your very own guide into this world"_ \- he says with softened eyes, holding out his hand for her. Jackie stared into the dark room behind him, cautious. This could be dangerous. But, she figured if she had to fight anyone it would be with this man and it was better than with Mario's thugs. He was tall and had an air of disturbing confidence but she was more likely to escape from him than the two outside.

"_Sure, why not? Let's see what you got for me" _\- she said, taking his cold hand. Why was his skin so cold to the touch? Her mind briefly pondered on the thought as he walked into the darkness of the room. Her grip tightened as her eyes scanned the darkness, unable to make out any shapes. She jumped slightly as candles began to light on either side of them, narrowing and getting closer the further they walked. Even with the fire flickering she could not see the wall or where the small, violet flames were coming from.- _"Just how deep is this shop?"_\- Jackie asked, uneasy.

"_Worry not on details, sweetheart. I will guide you perfectly through the darkness pervading this space_" - he says in a slightly mysterious voice. Strange … but it was all part of the show.

"_Then I'll trust you with that" _\- Jackie answers in a fairly carefree way. For some reason she felt her worries melting away and being left behind. She genuinely felt she could trust this man for one reason or another despite how suspicious this entire shop was. The flames began to slowly shift in and out of focus as she began to stumble over her own feet. Her entire body felt heavy and a strange high buzzed in her head, keeping her smiling throughout.

"_I am glad you feel that way, Jackie"_ \- He said, giving her hand a light squeeze. Jackie's feet wavered as she blinked, the same slight smile still on her lips as her head tipped back.

"_Why … am I here?_" -Jackie asked, her hold loosening but his remaining firm and tight.

"_Your heart is warm and welcoming despite the troubles you've been through. You understand pain and work to make others feel better, though it often ends with your own heart breaking. I find it amusing you try so hard yet received so little … which is why you will make the perfect sacrifice_" - He says, pulling her arm sharply. She fell forward much like a puppet without strings into his arms as he hugged her. Her pupils lightened in color as her head tipped back, staring into the darkness as he deeply laughed. "And now it begins" - the stranger said as he dipped down and picked her up, walking a few more steps into the back room.

He walked into the small room lit by violet flames. A stone table that had been prepared beforehand served as the woman's resting place. The cloaked man gently moved her head into place over the markings as well as her arms. The slender rock held her torso and legs as he pulled her arms out and strapped her wrists down to two pillars on either side of the stone. He kept humming a strange and ominous song as he set up two tubs under her arms which would collect the blood in the center.

He took a long, blunt dagger and set it in the center tub before pulling out a large scythe, shifting it into the form of a large curvy black dagger that seemed to be made out of obsidian.

He held her shoulder down as he carved into her skin, never stopping his chanting, and letting the blood flow freely into the container underneath while he etched the deep designs into her flesh. His smile never stopped growing as he finished with one arm and moved on to the next, watching her blood drain into the slender tub underneath. The dagger in the blood began to faintly glow in pulsating shades, accepting the offer briefly before fading back into darkness. He hummed a little louder and cut deeply into her other arm, making small designs and marks with the tip of his blade.

After a moment of watching he stepped back, letting her heart naturally pump the blood out of her veins and drip into the shallow tub. After a few minutes of watching he took two black ribbons and tied them tightly around her biceps to act as a tourniquets before kneeling down and taking the blood soaked dagger out of the tub and held it high in the air. His strange eyes glowed with the same tint as the dagger's light. The dagger flickered in it's shape and the blade seemed to take on a watery form for a second as it beat at the same rate as the heart of the bounded girl.

"_And from this moment on is when the true fun begins"_ \- he murmured, his eyes glowing with maddened delight as he drove the blade down into her chest, stabbing her through the heart with the ethereal blade while all the lights in the room went out.

A single blast lit up Hans's face as he fired his gun. The man's mouth wickedly grinned as his head tilted to the right, making the bullet skim his cheek before leaping back further into the shop to avoid another shot at him. Aria slipped past Hans and ran up to Jackie, pushing her fingers against Jackie's neck as Hans and the stranger had a menacing stare down.

"_Amazingly she is alive. Just seems to be drugged, not to mention blood drained"_ \- Aria said impassively, even bored. - _"That's impressive. Now we'll be taking the girl here_" - She pressed something on the side of the goggles she was wearing and a triangular light appeared over her visors. Then she took out another gun to fire again and watching the man dodge.- "_Now that's more interesting"_

Hans walked over and gripped Jackie's wrist, cutting through the ropes with his bowie knife. He freed her arms and wrapped his coat around her limp form, hoisting her up in his arms before walking out the door without a care for the dead man. Jackie needed medical attention.

"_Oh? The kitten doesn't want to dirty her claws?_"- the man threw some long metallic needles ahead and Aria jumped forward to block them with a sort of plastic buckled shield before she shot again towards the man who grinned and ducked out of the way, throwing a few needles her way before raising his hands up. This time the needles penetrated the shield and sunk into her forearm.

Aria froze, sucking a fast breath as she spied light glinting off of thin threads that had embedded themselves in the shield through the needles, and a second later the man approached fast and hit her in the chest sending her back.

Hans looked at this without interfering. The gaze he sent the mercenary was one of annoyance that seemed to ask 'Are you done yet?'

"_It seems the kitten got tangled in the yarn treats. What will she do now, I wonder?"_

"_Now I know how strong and fast you are. But what are you, I wonder?"_ \- Aria purred as she stood up and looked at the not thread, but wires struck in her forearm. She grinned and took out a taser from her side pocket. She got clear of the needles and that she used to deal an electric shock to the strings before leaping aside and getting clear of them.

"_I don't like people endangering my income_"- She chants something in a strange language and the next second she moves with incredible speed towards the man. Rather than hitting him straight, she turned sideways to kick him from below and then twisted to shoot at him and this time at least one bullet hits him in the arm

Grim countered and when he was about to hit Aria, Hans appeared from nowhere and kicked the man towards the wall and looked at Aria with a bored expression that seemed to say 'Now finish him so we can go'.

Aria didn't waste time. The kick had slammed the man against the wall and she jumped forward on the man to smash her first on his head, he managed to move so that Aria's fist doesn't hit his head but she uses her other hand to grip his face, sticking her fingers in his eyes cavities and starting to slam his head against the wall while the sickening crack of bones breaking is heard. The body jolts a bit and Aria grabs his jaw to rip it off the skull and tosses it away.

The mercenary then followed the rule of 'pillage first', and after looting the body, she turned towards Hans and the unconscious Jackie -_ "I'll get extra this, right?_" -She asked with a grin.

Hans turned around and began walking away without looking back. Aria followed behind but she did look back. There was just something weirdly comfortable and even familiar about the sensation of this place.

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	8. Chapter 8

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_-"Dialogue"_-

**_("Inner thinking"_****)**

**This is a time skip: ****MWMWMWMWMWWMWMWMWMWMMWMWMW**

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**CHAPTER 8**

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The mindless drone of the television duly sounded in the back of the shop as Jackie sat up front, waiting for her only customer today to come by and pick up her car. Jackie nervously fidgeted, paranoid before she hopped off the stool for the fourth time in the hour and peeked into the back, seeing Hans, wearing the shop's uniform to avoid suspicion from others, sitting and watching the crappy glow of the television about some news. The only thing he ever watches it the news but no matter what it is about his face still looks as stoic and emotionless as ever. It freaked her out quite a bit, she had to admit.

Jackie sighed before returning to the stool in the front, slumping forward before seeing a bandage piece hang out from the inside of her sleeve. With a small tug she shuffled the sleeve back, staring at the bandages that hid the painful cuts. Jackie was lucky that crazed man didn't cut any ligaments. Based on the marks it seemed like he knew what he was cutting into; at least that was what Aria said. Jackie had no idea what that guy did to her after she fell unconscious but she was lucky Aria knew how to stitch her up with sewing needles and thread. Pretty makeshift but it would work and keep her out of the hospital. She sighed and pulled the long sleeves back over them to cover her arms up before taking another dose of pain medicine to help the aching. Hopefully Aria would be back soon with that morphine to help Jackie cope with the pain.

The bell rang, catching her attention as she recognized Officer Roberts enter her shop. Her eyes widen, startled before she carefully reigns her expression in. Well great, this was one annoyance she didn't want to deal with today. She was already drugged up on pain medication and not thinking straight.

"_Officer Michael, what brings you here today? Broken car?" - _She ask with a croak in her voice before coughing to get control of her tone. Officer Roberts sheepishly smiled.

"_No. I am here to question you about Mario, if you don't mind."_ \- He politely asked.

"_Where's your partner?_" - Jackie asked, glancing out the door and half expecting him to come barging in.

"_On leave for what he did. I apologize I was not fast enough to stop him,_" - he said with a guilty frown, seeing the bruise beginning to fade on her head. Jackie's eyes narrowed.

"_Actually I do mind being asked about Mario. A lot. Please leave,_" - Jackie immediately retorted, nervously gulping as she glanced out the window. And, as she suspected, the same two thugs were across the street, looking into the shop. They wouldn't try anything with the officer there but they were absolutely going to come into the shop after he left and give her hell. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid.

"_W-Wait now, hold on. There is more you are not telling me. Ms. Penske, with your testimony we may finally be able to put that guy behind bars and prevent him from hurting more people_." - He said, pleading with her to reconsider.

"_Look, you're trying to do your job, I get that. But I'm already on his radar thanks to your snooping around that night,_" - Jackie snapped before biting her tongue, taking a deep breath before staring at him. - "S_o please get out. My business is having enough trouble as it is and with your face being seen in here I'm already in deep enough trouble as it is with the locals._" - She sharply told him.

"_We can protect you._" - He confidently countered.

"_I don't want protection. I want peace."_ \- She said before reaching into her pocket and letting him see his card, - "_I will come by the station sometime in the next few days and tell you what I know if you agree to leave now. I have customers coming in soon,_" - Jackie said, glancing out the window briefly. Yes, very rowdy ones who were probably going to break some things. However, with Hans here she doubted they would do a lot of damage. He's bigger than they were so his presence alone would probably deter them. Probably. Jackie got up, moving around the counter and heading into the back.

"_Please wait._" - he called, firmly gripping her arm. Pain shot up her arm and staked her in place, causing ripping agony and a searing heated sensation to shoot up her arm.

"_AUGH!_" - She let out a pained shout. She yanked her arm back from his grip, feeling slits of burning heat opening across her arm before she saw Hans twisting the officer's arm back. His piercing crimson eyes cut right through the officer, looking like he was about to rip the man's arm clean off; of the which Jackie knew he was fully capable of.

"_Wait, wait Hans, let him go! He's an officer, you know,_" - Jackie said, reaching up and gently holding his wrist. Dang it, she could feel some stitches had come undone from that. Aria would have to fix that for her. Hans's eyes rolled over towards her before he let the startled officer go, glaring at him. -_ "Hans, into the back._" - She ordered, watching as he simply stared at her before turning and slowly retreating behind the door frame but turned around, standing right in plain sight of the two.

"_And who is he?"_ \- Officer Roberts asked, sounding very surprised.

"_Sorry about that, he's just a worker I recently hired_." - Jackie apologized, seeing the officer's keen eyes staring at the strange man before locking on to her arm. Well great, so much for Hans's distraction.

" … _let me see your arm," _\- he said, flickering his eyes up to her.

"_They're nothing," _\- Jackie denied, turning to her side to protect her injured arm at the very least. He stared at her with an expression that made her almost hesitant to deny him at least looking at her wounds. Jackie deeply inhaled before rolling back her sleeve, letting the officer see the bloodstained bandages. The man clearly wasn't satisfied just seeing the bandages so, begrudgingly, she shuffled a few of them back to let him see the fairly deep cuts on her skin.

He stepped closer, a little too close, as he gently touched her elbow and raised her arm to get a closer look at the marks. - _"These were not self-inflicted." _

"_I would never hurt myself like that." _\- Jackie countered, lightly trying to pull her arm back but his grip remained firm.

"_Jackie, be honest. Was this the work of Mario?_" - He asked, looking her dead in the eye. Jackie hedged back slightly, finding her scapegoat.

"_And if I said yes_?" - Jackie said, softly pulling her arm back and holding it to her chest as she carefully studied the officer. He'd buy it. The police and other districts as well were desperate to capture Mario and put an end to his reign.

"_Then that means the investigation has gotten that much closer to capturing him,_" - he happily said with the brightest smile Jackie had ever seen. Her heart skipped a beat as she blinked, coming back to reality pretty quickly. Oh hell what were those warm fuzzies for in my gut?

"_Well, I wish you luck then._" - Jackie said with a faint smile.

"_Please come by the station when you have time so that we may take pictures of your injuries for the future trial. The chief will be very happy to learn of this promising lea_d" -he says, taking the card from her and flipping it over before writing his cell phone on it -_"and if anything happens, give me a call and I will personally make sure to come_"- he says.

"_I'll do that."_ \- she answered, watching him leave. She watched him as he cast the two men a glance, studying them before he kept walking and got into his car. Jackie glanced through the door, seeing Hans standing in the doorway with a menacing aura about him. She didn't know why she felt like he would protect her if something happened or why she had so much faith in him but she did.

Jackie leaned back in the chair as Hans stepped into the room and looked over her arm, seeing that some of the wounds had reopened. - _"Don't worry about it, I'm fine. We have bigger trouble coming in." -_ Jackie said with a frown as she watched the officer approach the two men. - "_Oh it just got worse. Hans, whatever you do, do not kill them. Just, just maim … or, or at the most a broken limb or two, please_." - Jackie said, looking up to him as he paused before nodding. Jackie watched Officer Roberts talk to the two thugs for a few minutes before he nodded, tipping his hat in respect and leaving. Once he was out of sight the two thugs approached Jackie's shop, sneers clear on their faces before they stepped inside.

"_I didn't tell him anything," _\- Jackie immediately snapped as she leaned back in her chair.

"_Then why did he drop by?_" - The man asks, tailing his head with a sneer on his face, - "_Mario has been nice to you, letting you work on his precious cars and this is how you repay him?"_

"_You should be grateful he's letting you be a part of our familia, Jackie_." - The other said with a grin.

"_Yeah, kind and not paying me at all for my services."_ \- Jackie bitterly hissed.

"_Know your place, bitch! Be grateful he allows this shit hole to exist on this street. This is our territory you live on."_ \- The man grinned as the other one tightly gripped his bat and started tapping it against the ground. Jackie was hardly intimidated. Standing next to her was a werewolf. She felt like she could do anything she wanted and get away with it. Hans on his part, although he did not move, provided a menacing aura of danger that made Jackie that much more confident in herself.

"_Tell Mario to get another mechanic. I am not offering my service to him anymore._" - Jackie bluntly stated, seeing their eyes widen in surprise at her statement before they glared at her, gnashing their teeth.

"_What, you got balls now because you think you got a big man beside you now? I'll beat you both to a bloody pulp!" -_ The man with the bat cried, swinging the blunt weapon around.

"_HANS!"_ \- Jackie screamed, falling back in her chair to avoid the full blow of the strike to her head. Her eyes widened as Hans whipped forward, catching the bat before it would have even struck her and crushed it in his hand. She stared up at him, startled that he actually helped her.

"_The fuck are you?!_" - The man demanded, grunting as he struggled to pull the bat back.

Jackie scrambled to her feet and grabbed the pepper spray underneath, blasting the man in the eyes who tried to hit her. He let the bat go and screamed, clutching his eyes as the second man pulled out a gun. Faster than Jackie could react Hans snatched the muzzle and crushed the metal in his hands. The man's eyes widened as he pulled his gun back and saw the mangled weapon, eyes bulging in shock. Hans hopped over the counter and hooked his leg under the pepper sprayed man's body and literally hoisted him through the air with his kick alone and blasted him through the glass window, sending shards of glass over the sidewalk. The remaining man stumbled back with a surprise that turned into a glare, already heading out the door.

"_You're going to regret this, you bitch_!"

"_Go ahead and tell your pitbull of a boss that I've got my own wolf. If he wants to mess with my business then he will feel his fangs. Right, Hans?_" - Jackie asks, casting him a grin.

He didn't respond, but his menacing stare remained set after the retreating figures while Jackie could do nothing but stare at Hans.

"_Freeze, NYPD!"_ \- Officer Roberts called, startling Jackie. She looked back, see him pursuing the two men. Was he hiding and watching the whole time? She watched, worried before looking away. He'll be fine. He had his criminals to chase. Jackie let out a breath of relief, leaning against the counter. And with that, the war with that drug lord began. But with Aria and Hans she wouldn't have to worry. Hopefully.

"_You'll protect me, right, Hans?_" - Jackie asks, tugging on his sleeve and staring at him. Hans rolls his eyes down towards her. Once again, far more of a reaction than he had ever shown before.

He stated at her for a couple seconds before walking past her and into the back, resuming his place to watch TV. she could only hope that had been a yes. But if he really wanted her dead he would have done so sooner.

"_We also have a cat, right?"_ \- She pondered about Aria always going on her own and coming back on her whims - "_what is Aria? ... She's human, right_?" - And yet, after seeing her fight in that basement with that creepy voodoo guy she wasn't so sure.

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Jackie was finally doing some cleaning at the garage by sweeping dust, that she hoped was normal dust but knew it wasn't, when from the opened door some furry thing came in and started heading inside her home. What the hell is that, a raccoon? In the heart of New York? Or more likely a cat.

_"Hey, out" - _Jackie says, picking up her broom and began sweeping the weird looking cat out the door. The animal made a yipping whine, clinging to the broom and pressing its head against the bristles. Jackie stopped in mid sweep, seeing four things all at once; it was hurt, it was a fox and _not_ a cat, it had a leather collar and the strangest deformity with its tail, appearing to have two tails instead of just the one.

Jackie stopped, slowly leaning the broom against the wall as she stared at its collar. Someone must have lost the little guy. She slowly knelt down and before it could run her hand shot out, grabbing it by the scruff. The little animal offered no resistance as she lifted it into the air, seeing it trembling and whining. Jackie hesitated before holding the little tyke against her chest, carefully eyeing it the whole way up the stairs and ready to throw it if it tried to bite her.

"_Well now, I guess I need to make posters now._" - She sighed, gently rubbing its head and listening to the little red fox hum. Jackie went into the kitchen and grabbed one of her spare cardboard boxes before setting the little fox inside. She walked over to her bowls and filled one with water and the other with some chopped up pieces of apple. She knew foxes were omnivores so it would eat this at the very least. Jackie turned around and looked in the box, seeing it empty before darting her eyes around the kitchen.

" … _oh foxy~"_ -Jackie called, setting the water and food inside the big cardboard box. How it was able to get out she had no idea. She might have to grab one of her bigger boxes if worst came to worse. Jackie walked around and into the hallway, spying the little fox near the three steps going up into the hallway leading to the rooms. It barely held on to the first step, trying to crawl up and over when it rolled back without strength to hold on.

"_Come here you little troublemaker."_ -Jackie lightly laughed with a warm smile, picking it up. She gently held it against her before pulling out a towel and setting it on the bottom of the box, laying the little fox over the small bit of comfort.

This time the small fox didn't have more energy to get out of the box. It tried getting up a couple of times and then he just laid there and simply fell asleep, or more likely, unconscious.

Jackie went to get a towel to clean him up a bit and then began examining him to search for the wounds, which didn't look that bad for the amount of blood it had on it's fur or as bad as it originally looked when it was crawling inside her home. Still, he was very weak and exhausted. She cleaned him up as best as she could without risking hurting him in any way, and then left him in the box while she to get some paper and markers do do some signs of 'pet fox found'.

When she came back with the items, Hans appeared out of nowhere, got near her and sniffed. He tilted his head at the new scent and then moved in the kitchen right up towards where the fox in the box was.

"_Hey, Hans, careful it might bite you."_ \- Jackie warned as she walked over to him.

Hans briefly looked her way and Jackie remembered whose bite was worse, then he kneeled down and looked at the sleeping critter while sniffing the air around it. He processed the scent and then stood up, looking past Jackie and towards the stairs where the fox had tried to go to

"_It crawled inside. It has a collar so it has an owner," _\- Jackie said, staring at him. She was tired of never getting a rise out of him.- "_Hey, Hans, should we get you a collar too? Have you ever worn one before?" - _Jackie asked with a teasing but cautious grin, unsure how he would react to that comment.

Hans glanced to look at her for a couple seconds, as if pondering that statement, before he simply went away towards his new room. Jackie let out a sigh and a shrug before sitting back at the table to finishing up the signs. A nearly deft footstep made her head turn, seeing Aria walking into the kitchen-

"_Alright, wolfie is set up in his room. Who would have thought he'd choose that basement door as his den?" _\- The mercenary twisted her head to crack her bones and then began twisting and stretching to crack more bones and joints.

Jackie wanted to comment on him but resisted_, "I'm not going to lie, it actually surprised me a bit that you helped Hans to set up all his room._"

She shrugged her shoulders - _"I owed him that favor because I asked him to help me with that old crap storage you called a room_"- She finally looked at the table to the markers and papers- "_What are you doing?"_

"_Just some posters. Some weird fox came in lost earlier."_

!A fox?" Aria grabbed one of the signs, read it in a couple seconds later she then tossed it away while looking around frankly -_ "Where is it!?"_

"_Hey, what's up?_" - Jackie was rightfully confused. The woman was actually agitated, the woman who killed and slaughtered vampires and crazy priests with hardly a problem and _she's_ agitated? Something was definitely wrong.

"_Where the hell is that damn piece of fur!?_" - Aria almost tripped over the box. The mercenary found the fox and then picked it up from the box and into her arms before quickly turning around to try retreating towards her own room had it not being for Jackie standing in her way in the middle of the corridor.

"_Hey, Aria wait he's hurt and you can't go moving it around like that. Besides, that fox has an owner. I don't know what you want to do with it but you can't take it._" Jackie growled, somewhat fearful that Aria would actually kill the little animal that she might consider to be a rodent or a nuisance.

"_**I AM**__ the owner!_" - Aria pushed Jackie out of the way and ran to her room.

Jackie was left standing in the hallway without a single clue about what just happened.

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That night, Jackie went to get a small midnight snack but stopped short when she heard noises in the kitchen. Her current tenants would have been completely silent if they were at the kitchen so she knew it wasn't any of them.

She slowed her pace as she stepped around the corner, jumping as she saw someone crouching by the fridge and whip around with his glowing eyes locked on to her. He was a lean teenage boy with red hair and orange eyes. Both remained silent, startled at the sight of one another before Jackie's arm shot out and grabbed a broom.

"_WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"_ -Jackie thundered at the thief, jutting forward and bringing the broom down over his head so hard the broom actually snapped in half.

"_OWWW! Wait, I-I-!_" - He turned tail and ran towards the stairs, - "_MASTEEEEER!"_

Before the intruder could make it to the three steps Hans's arm shot out, gripping the intruder by the neck and lifting him into the air as Jackie turned on all the lights, startled to see two swinging red tails coming from the pants of a teenage boy that had big furry black ears on top of his head. _-"A fox … boy!?"_\- Jackie asked, startled as the stranger struggled in Hans's grip, tears budding over his eyelids in his suffocating fright.

From out of nowhere, a blur came in and Hans was thrown through the front door by a hard kick from Aria. The force of the kick freed the fox, who scurried away and behind the mercenary woman that had just attacked the werewolf head on.

"_Whoa, Aria!_" - Jackie shouted, walking to the hallway and pausing as she saw the boy cowering behind her - "_Aria, you know him?"_ \- Jackie asked, startled.

Aria didn't had time to answer before a payback kick to the stomach sent her flying through the wall on the other side of the hallway. She managed to twist in the air to land gracefully in a perpendicular way so that she shot herself back to stand in front of the trembling and sniveling boy while throwing a fist at Hans, which the werewolf caught in his palm with ease and held tight, ready to crush.

"_Wait, wait the both of you!"_ -Jackie shouted as she stepped between them, looking to Aria as she flickered her gaze to the boy and back to her. -_"Aria who is this?" _

Aria growled and threw her other fist at Hans but he caught that one too. They were now just pushing each other.

"_T-Tail … that boy has a tail… tails? Why?" _\- Jackie asked as the fuzzy appendages moved up and down. No one said anything as Jackie tried to get her head on straight, - "_Aria, who is that boy?"_

"_He's mine."_ \- Aria growled, never taking her eyes of Hans.

"_Yours? As in, 'yours' yours? I mean, not that that's a problem I'm just surprised that you have a kid,"_ \- Jackie said, chagrined and clearly confused. The didn't look that old to be a mom.

"_Yeah that's his name right there in the tag,"_ \- Aria kept her gaze locked with Hans's. She wouldn't back down or pay Jackie that much attention either.

"_Hans, Aria that's enough. Let's just calm down from here on out, alright? He isn't a threat like I thought he was."_ \- Jackie said, flickering her gaze between the two of them, realizing her words weren't getting through to them before she looked over at the fox boy, seeing him shrink back. _-"Hey, hey come on, help me out here. They'll break my house if they fight._" - Jackie asked, trying to get a recruitment to help her out.

The boy looked up at her, then to the woman that was clearly protecting him and he swallowed, then he crawled back a bit more and away and extended his hand, and a fire appeared between the pair and forced them to separate. Hans took a step back and Aria jumped to stand in front of the boy once more.

Jackie's jaw dropped, startled as she stared at the large scorch mark now on her wooden floors. - _"W-Wha-How did you do that?!"_ \- Jackie cried, startled at the sight. The fire just appeared, out of nowhere!

The boy looked at her for a second before turning towards the man that clearly wasn't a man by the smell. He was frightening … and he was just standing there … _menacingly_. -_ "I err… I'm Kit… nice to meet you?"_

"_He's Kit. A fox demon, hengeyokai, spirit, bette or kitsune._" - The mercenary said with just the slightest aura of pride and still on a very defensive stance in front of him, ready to continue fighting if needed. - _"He's mine, so don't mess with my property." _

"_W-Well,_" - Jackie said, staring at him before back at Aria, - "_you should have told me that he was here at the very least. I just broke my favorite broom over his head so you need to pay for a new one._" - Jackie said with a firm frown.

Hans dropped his own stance and went away towards his room, followed by Aria's careful gaze. Once he was out of sight, Aria turned her narrowed eyes towards Kit .- _"You just costed me money, Kit." _

"_I'm sorry, I … ,_" - the fox boy gulped down, well aware how much she loved money.

She grabbed him by one of his ears and began pulling him away towards her own room - _"what the heck were you thinking!? Going out and almost picking a fight with the werewolf? Are you stupid or what? You are still hurt, Idiot!"_

"_I'm sorry, but I was hungry and wanted a snack and … ," _\- the fox began crying again due to the hurtful pinch on his sensible ear.

"_And you alone would have end up being less than a snack for Hans, not even a toothpick … ,_" - She kept scolding him.

Aria grabbed him by one of the fluffy ears and dragged him away around the stairs where they disappeared into Aria's room.

Jackie stared after them once again, speechless. Her curiosity was being peaked. Seriously. Hans was a werewolf and he was nothing like legends and movies said. The fox boy was a Kitsune or whatever that was. But what was Aria? She was living here too, so it would be good to know what she was. Could it be that she was some sort of were-feline? She didn't mind being called a cat and she did behave like one ... but maybe she didn't care about being called anything at all. And she had never transformed ... and she ate normal food ... but Hans did too. Unless she had some other fixation. Could the green tea had been an indication or just an addiction? she also spoke spanish and that time she had mentioned her heritage. How many countries spoke Spanish anyways? She could ask her later she supposed ...

" … _oh what the hell this is too confusing!_" - Jackie ran her hand through her hair as she stared hard at the wall. These two, now three, strangers come barging into her house and are now living there with her. They both clearly have their own agendas and have no problem in killing. So what's stopping them from killing her? Money? That's a very shallow and weak shield. Hans didn't give a damn about it and Aria well, she liked it but it now started to seem to Jackie that Aria perhaps was accepting too little. She had no idea how much was worth all the information for real in the black market. But movies always showed that people like Aria were paid with briefcases full of money. Plus she was not only an informant. She had also protected their info and identities and was ready and willing to fight if needed.

Just who were those two… three people in her house right now?

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**_Chaos -dark-lord._ Hello everyone! Finally we release a new chapter and introduced another character in this odd gathering, what does the mercenary really meant when she said taht the fox boy is hers? Oh! and there is a message from co-writer PeekoDeMeeko12 for you all at the bottom :D , but first: **

**As for the many questions from reviewer akuma, Ill answer some and some others will reveal themselves with time. We don't want to spoil all ;D :**

-There were various lost countries after WW2. Some were absorbed into other countries. For Hans I will give clues. It was in Germanic territory , was abolished de-facto by the Nazis and de-jure by the allies.

-Yes they are

-Yes, before Alucard returns . We'll give more defined time later :3

-You'll have to wait to see for the answer tot his questions about he characters ho,ho,ho

Don't be sorry, we appreciate the questions :3

**...**

**_PeekoDeMeeko12:_ Hi all! Hope you are enjoying the story thus far; I am so excited for you to see just how many ideas we have in store for you! :D**

**Oh! And don't forget to check our other collaborations: Featuring our take off of Monster Musume No Iru Nichijou, 'Always Read The Freaking Contract!' which is found under my penname! :D And don't forget about 'Duty of the Red Hood' which is a spin off of this story here. We are so excited for all these stories! Enjoy them! ****ENJOY THEM! :D**


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